Hourglass
by Caseyrochelle
Summary: During the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, a poorly aimed spell hits Hermione, sending her hurtling into the cabinet of time-turners, and thereby launching her through time. Will she find a way back to her own time? Or will the past become her present? AU- Time-travel.
1. Broken Glass

**_A/N: So I lied. I went ahead and started on the new story. Not sure how frequently I'll be able to update, as I'm going on vacation in a week, but when I get back, this story is first priority._**

 ** _Also, the first part of this is pretty much copy-paste from the source material with a few minor changes to make it work with the story. If that's not your thing, it's all good. It won't be happening again, as this is mostly a Mauraders era fic. Just the best way to get the ball rolling in my opinion._**

 ** _Enjoy!_**

 _Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling does. I don't make money from this fic. No copyright infringement is intended._

* * *

 _June 18, 1996 London, England - The Department of Mysteries Time Room_

Hermione, Harry, and Neville sat hunched over under desks, panting as quietly as they could. They could see the bottom of two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly.

"They might've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.

"Check under the desks," Said another.

Hermione watched Harry as the the first Death Eater bent to examine the desk he was sat under. His wand emerged as he shouted, " _STUPEFY!"_

A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backward into a grandfather clock and knocked it over. The second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and now pointed his own wand at Hermione, who had crawled out from under the desk to get a better aim.

" _Avada -"_

Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry. Neville overturned his desk in his anxiety to help; pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair, he cried, " _EXPELLIARMUS!"_

Both Harry and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back toward the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them. Hermione had since moved away from the pair, backing herself up against a glass- fronted cabinet. She pointed her wand at the Death Eater but didn't dare to take a shot until Harry was clear.

"Get out of the way, Harry!" yelled Nevilled, clearly determined to repair the damage he'd done. Harry flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted, " _STUPEFY!_ "

The jet of red flew right over the Death Eater's shoulder and hit the glass-fronted cabinet on the wall full of variously shaped hour glasses, clipping Hermione's shoulder as it went. The glass shattered around her as she looked up at Harry, startled. One of the hourglasses broke as it hit her head with quite some force. Harry watched in horror as she disappeared.

Hermione wasn't sure what was happening; it was as though she was being forced through a tube with lights on the inside, going extremely fast. She felt dizzy, disoriented, and couldn't tell up from down. Not to mentions the sticky feeling in her hair that she knew was blood from the impact of the hourglass. Her head felt funny, and as she felt herself slipping in and out of consciousness. Suddenly, she was deposited unceremoniously on a hard, dark floor where she immediately threw up from the sensations and their sudden cessation. She glanced around the room, vaguely registering it as the same one she'd been in previously before she fell unconscious.

* * *

 _June 18, 1976 London, England - St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries_

Albus Dumbledore stood just outside the ward on the fourth floor, being briefed on the current situation.

"You're sure, Albus, that there is no magical child absent from Hogwarts?" Harold Minchum, the Minister for Magic, asked him for the fourth time. Dumbledore merely agreed once more, his unyielding patience proving itself an asset once again.

"I'm sure, Harold. I've already sent letters to the heads of Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and even Ilvermorny in regards to missing students. Until I hear back from them, or until she wakes up, I fear we will not have much more information than we do presently." Dumbledore said calmly. "Now, if you'd be so kind as to let me speak with her Healer? I'd like to know as much as possible about the girl and how she came to be here."

The Minister nodded, guiding the other man into the ward and towards the bed at the end, where two healers were working on a young girl. One stepped away to talk to the approaching men, looking anxious.

"Professor Dumbledore, Minister Minchum," The mediwitch greeted them each in turn. "I take it you've come to check on the girl?" Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

"Indeed, Healer Fawley. I'd also like to know how she came to require medical attention." Dumbledore asked softly. The mediwitch sighed, looking flustered.

"I wish I knew. She was brought to Mungo's from the Ministry, Department of Mysteries, no less. As you know, the things that go on in there are a highly guarded secret. All that was said was she was found in the Time Room, unconscious and bleeding from a decently-sized head wound. When cleaning her up, we found this." The mediwitch drew her wand and turned, levitating what looked like a misshapen hourglass that was placed on a silver tray between until it came to rest between her and the men.

"Intriguing." Dumbledore said thoughtfully, one spindly hand stroking his knotted beard. "It appears we may have an unintentional time-traveller on our hand. Minister, I expect this will not make the papers, as such a disturbance could cause general unrest. Especially with all that is going on with Voldemort these days."

"Must you use that name, Albus?" the minister hissed. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled a bit.

"Yes, Harold. I must." Dumbledore said. "Madame," He said, returning his attention to the mediwitch, "I'll be taking responsibility for the child until further notice. I expect to be notified when she wakes."

"Of course, Professor." the witch said. With a curt nod to both the witch and wizard, Dumbledore strode out of the room, heading for the fifth floor. He hated the idea that a young girl would awake in a strange place, alone, and without so much as a vase of flowers or a bar of chocolate as solace. So he sought to remedy that at once.

* * *

 _June 20, 1976 London, England - St. Mungo's Hospital_

Hermione stirred, a throbbing ache in her head. She opened her eyes, blinking blearily and trying to figure out what had happened. The last thing she remembered was the ache in her head and being surrounded by color and light. When she opened her eyes, she was surprised to see Albus Dumbledore sitting beside her bed, reading the _Daily Prophet_. He looked much the same as she remembered him the last time she'd seen him, though there was something - off. She stirred, attempting to sit up a bit.

"Ah, awake are you, young lady?" Dumbledore asked, looking up from his paper. "Healer Fawley said that you'd be waking up within the hour. She's taken good care of you."

Hermione blinked a couple times, rubbing her eyes. She wasn't imagining it, then. Dumbledore looked younger, his beard just slightly shorter, and a tad darker than it had been. She watched him carefully as he folded the _Prophet_ and sat it in his lap, looking at her with mild concern. The lines on his face were less pronounced, but his twinkling blue eyes remained just the same as ever.

"Professor Dumbledore?" She asked, groggily. She watched the man's eyebrows shoot up.

"It appears you know who I am, but I haven't the foggiest as to who you may be, young lady." He told her, his spindly fingers forming interlacing before him as he leaned back in his chair.

Hermione blanched; he didn't know who she was? She thought hard, trying to remember what she'd been doing just before she'd lost consciousness. She remembered the lights, and the dizziness. She reached up and felt her head; she knew at something had fallen on her, something that was hourglass shaped in the cabinet above her.

"It was a time-turner." Hermione murmured under her breath. Thankfully, he hadn't heard her assessment. She turned back to the professor. "Sir, could I see your paper?" She asked. Dumbledore nodded, handing his paper to the young witch, his face remaining neutral.

Hermione unfolded the paper carefully, turning to the front cover. There, she had her suspicions confirmed by a simple, black-and-white date. _Sunday, June 20, 1976._ She took her time, carefully folding the paper back and handing it back to Dumbledore, trying to maintain her composure.

"Did you find what you were looking for?" He asked. Hermione nodded slowly, chewing on her lip nervously. The internal battle on whether or not to tell him raged within her. Finally, the negative repercussions weighed too heavily on her.

"Sir, I have reason to believe the word as we know it may be in danger. I- I don't think I'm from this time. Actually, all the evidence practically insists upon it." Dumbledore looked the girl over calmly, an eyebrow raised curiously.

"Well why don't you begin with telling me when you are from, dear girl? And also your name, perhaps?" he said.

"Hermione." She said, at once. She'd forgotten that he didn't know her. She supposed she couldn't do much more damage than she had done already, and she needed help if she were to figure out her predicament. "And last I recalled, it was June, 1996." Dumbledore's bushy eyebrows furrowed in concern.

"Yes, indeed, Hermione. It seems as though you've found yourself in a time before you were even born, I'd venture." he said, idly stroking his beard. "How did you come to be here? And with such grievous injuries?" Hermione thought for a moment, trying to recall her memories.

"I was fighting- in the Ministry, Harry and I- and the Order were on their way, but there were so many Death Eaters. Neville sent a stunner at one and it clipped my shoulder and shattered the glass cabinet behind me. Something fell on my head, and it felt like I was being squeezed through a tube. That's all I can remember." Hermione explained with some difficulty.

"The Order? What do you know of the Order, Hermione?" Dumbledore was suddenly very serious. She looked around, trying to see if anyone was around to hear, before leaning closer to the old man, motioning for him to lean forward.

"The Order of the Phoenix. It's a secret society, you founded it to oppose Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters. There was a group of us who wanted to fight, to stand with the Order, but we were too young. So we formed our own defense group, so we could learn how to fight. That's why we were in the Ministry. Harry had a- feeling. I really shouldn't say any more." Hermione said, frowning.

"That's probably for the best." Dumbledore said. "I hate to say this, dear, but I'm afraid I don't have a solution to get you back to your own time." Hermione nodded; she knew the known laws of time well enough that she figured there would be no easy solution to her problem. Nevertheless, she worried about what that meant for the timeline.

"What are we to do, then, Professor?" She asked. "The laws of time are _very_ clear. Don't meddle with time. If you interfere even a little you could change the course of history. The longer I'm here, the greater the chance that I could say or do something to alter the timeline."

"We hide you in plain sight," Dumbledore explained, "With an appropriate cover story, it will be as though nothing were out of place. Until the Unspeakables in the Time Room figure out how to send you back to your own time, a task that we shall put them on immediately, you shall have to blend in to this time seamlessly. I have the resources available, if you think you are up to the challenge. We can consider it your first mission as a part of the Order." Dumbledore's eye twinkled just a bit and Hermione had a feeling in her gut that she was being played, at least a little, like a pawn in a grand chess game. Nonetheless, she nodded reluctantly. She didn't have much choice in the matter.

"Very good. Now, I'll have to write a few letters and arrange some things, mostly to find you a host family. I have several families loyal to the Order with children around your age. I'll be in contact with them by no later than tomorrow. The end of term feast at Hogwarts is due late next week, so I fear I cannot stay with you here much longer." Dumbledore told her, getting to his feet.

"I understand, sir." Hermione said, trying to keep the fear off of her features. Being alone in a world she didn't know was rather unnerving. She knew that wasn't entirely the truth; there were plenty people she knew from her time who were alive in this one, but they didn't know her yet. She found that thought a little unsettling.

"I will owl you with more information as I receive it, Hermione. Healer Fawley will stay with you. As I have said, she's taken excellent care of you. I should have a host family arranged as early as Tuesday." the old man tried to reassure her. "We will have to meet, eventually, with the Unspeakables to see what kind of timeline we're looking at here. I don't think there will be a quick solution to this problem, however. As such, I would like you to speak to no one about when you are from without me present. Understood?" He asked, looking at her almost sternly. She nodded.

Dumbledore smiled at her, then picked up something from her bedside table, tossing it to her. She caught it deftly, looking down. It was a chocolate frog. She looked up at him, smiling, before looking back at her bedside table. There sat a large vase of flowers and a basket of chocolates. She grinned widely, knowing it was Dumbledore's doing.

"Keep your head up, Hermione. We must stay positive when faced with struggle." He said, winking and turning to leave, his robes billowing behind him.


	2. Host Family

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic. Don't sue me._

* * *

 _June 22, 1976 London, England - St. Mungo's Hospital_

It was two days before Hermione had another visitor. She was grateful for the company, as Healer Fawley would only let her read for an hour at a time due to her injury. Hermione was not one to be idle for as long as she was. The moment she saw Dumbledore striding down the ward, her face lit up. She almost didn't see the man and woman he was escorting.

"How are you, Hermione dear?" Dumbledore asked her as he approached.

"Bored." She answered honestly. "I asked Healer Fawley if I could read some, and she brought me a few issues of _Witch Weekly_. I'm dying to get to a library." Dumbledore chuckled at that.

"Well, hopefully you'll be released today. Healer Fawley believes you've heal sufficiently." Dumbledore told her. "Hermione, I'd like you to meet Fleamont and Euphemia Potter." Hermione's eyes widened a bit. Could this be Harry's grandparents? Hermione recovered herself from the momentary shock and smiled at the couple, shaking their hands.

"They're part of the Order," Dumbledore told her. "They don't know everything, but they know enough. They've offered to let you take their name and take you into their home. We've already discussed a cover story for when their son, James, asks questions, but we'll discuss that more when we can talk privately." Dumbledore smiled at her kindly. Hermione nodded.

"Thank you for your hospitality, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. It's very kind of you to help me like this." Hermione said, sheepishly.

"Don't you worry your pretty little head about it, love." Euphemia said, sweetly. "Fleamont and I always wanted a big family. We were lucky to have James. Now, with you and Sirius Black at the house, and undoubtedly their friend Remus Lupin this summer, it will be just like having a house full of our own." Hermione smiled. She reminded her of Molly Weasley, always so willing to take in any child and treat them as her own.

"Sirius Black?" She asked, to keep up appearances. She knew that the Potters had taken Sirius in during his fifth year when his mother had stricken him from the family tree.

"One of James' friends, dear. He's been staying with us due to circumstances with his family. I'm sure you'll meet him when the boys return home from Hogwarts this weekend." She said, soothingly. Hermione nodded.

She worried about meeting James for the first time. She only knew him by the stories Remus and Sirius had told Harry. She wasn't sure how she was going to handle being around Remus and Sirius yet, either. She hadn't thought about being in close proximity to the two men - boys in this time- that she'd come to know and respect. She decided she would just take it slow, testing the waters surrounding the boys. She'd allow herself to adapt to the situation. She only hoped her standoffishness could be played off as recovery.

"Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Euphemia called. Hermione shook her head to clear it, then looked up at the older woman and nodded.

"Yeah, just a little headache." She said.

"Perhaps we shouldn't bring you home today, maybe another night would-" Euphemia started, looking to Dumbledore.

"No, I'll be fine once I get some rest. I've never been able to sleep properly in a hospital." She said, smiling reassuringly.

"Okay, dear. Albus told us you lost all your belongings in the fire that killed your parents. We'll go shopping and see if we can't find some new things." She smiled. Hermione frowned; she'd have to ask Dumbledore about what he'd told them.

"You really don't have to do that, I hate to impose-" Hermione tried to say, but she was cut off my Euphemia.

"Nonsense. We've taken you into our family, remember? Which means we're responsible for taking care of your needs and wants. We know full well what we signed up for, Hermione. You won't be imposing one bit." the older woman insisted, with a smile. "Now, what do you say we get you into your clothes and on your way to a nice, warm bed away from this stuffy ward?" she said, clapping her hands. Hermione smiled when Euphemia shooed Dumbledore and Fleamont away and drew the curtain around them, then helped Hermione change. Euphemia eyed her clothes a bit but shrugged it off.

"Suppose the French always have been rather, erm, _fashion forward._ " She said. Hermione giggle. She had no idea.

* * *

 _That Night, Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence_

Hermione walked up to the impressive, three-story brick and tile house at the edge of the village after having been side-along apparated by Euphemia to the house. She had known that Harry's parents had been wealthy, but she wasn't quite expecting a house that looked so - ordinary. The structures in the wizarding world that she'd gotten used to over the years were by and large extraordinary establishments that she could never imagine in such a locale, with the exception of Grimmauld Place, which was hidden in plain sight anyhow.

She followed Euphemia into the house, where she was greeted with a large foyer and a cherry wood staircase. To her right, there was a large, open dining room, and to her left a little hall. Ahead of her, she could see a cozy little nook just past a great room where she could just see the edge of a dark brown leather couch.

"Fleamont's office is the door at the end of the hall, dear." Euphemia said, showing her around. She lead her into the great room just past the foyer. Hermione took in the cherry wood and leather furniture, complimented by a stone fireplace on the far wall. There was a set of white French doors just beside the small nook, leading out onto a patio and into the gardens. The kitchen was to her left, and included an open layout, with an island dividing it from the the great room. The flooring was all rich cherry wood, just like the staircase.

Euphemia and Hermione returned to the staircase, climbing up to the second level.

"Your room is just here, love." She said, moving to open the door to the immediate right of the staircase. "It was a guest room that hasn't seen much use other than Sirius. He'll be moving in with James this summer, in the room just down the hall."

"Oh, I hope he doesn't mind terribly." Hermione said, feeling guilty. Euphemia laughed a bit.

"James' room is bigger, anyhow. Besides, they dorm together at school, it shouldn't be much different. Remus and Peter, when they stay over, stay in the room around the corner, at the end of the hall, next to James and Sirius'. Fleamont and I are at the end of the hall, between here and there." She said, a meaningful look in her eye. Hermione flushed a bit, realizing there was reasoning behind her placement. She hid it by looking around the tidy bedroom. The walls were a robin's egg blue, the bed adorned with a blue and white quilt. She noticed the door beside the walk in closet and raised her eyes, excitedly.

"I'll have my own bathroom?" She asked. Euphemia smiled.

"Of course. Yet another reason for giving you this room. With four boys in the house, a girl needs her space." She smiled, as though sharing a secret with her. Hermione allowed herself to relax a bit and sat down on the bed, testing it a bit. A thought came to her.

"What's on the third floor? I don't particularly want to make the trip up there yet." She said, feeling suddenly very drained.

"Most of it is Fleamont's library. You're more than welcome to look through it, if you want. Remus seems to enjoy it quite a bit when he's here." She said. Hermione's eyes lit up; her boredom in the hospital was behind her, at last.

"I'll have to check it out later." Hermione said, her excitement outweighed by her fatigue at the moment. She yawned widely.

"I'll let you rest, sweetheart. I'll let you know wake you for dinner, alright dear?" She asked. Hermione nodded, kicking off her shoes and crawling under the quilt.

"Thank you, Mrs. Potter." she said, sleepily.

"Call me Aunt Euphemia, love." She said, pulling her wand and drawing the curtains with a quick flick.

"Thank you, Aunt Euphemia,"Hermione said, testing the title. It felt a bit odd, but she smiled a little at it. It was nice having a family in this time. It helped to distract her from the potential disaster that she was sure she would make of the timeline. She thought of getting to meet Remus and Sirius in this time, and of how strange it would be to meet Harry's dad as she drifted to sleep, a familiar black dog skimming through her mind as she closed her eyes.

* * *

 _June 23, 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence_

Dumbledore came calling the next day to check in on Hermione and bring her up to date on what exactly he had told the Potters. He found her exploring the library and sat at the little table near the window, talking to her while she browsed the shelves.

"The story is a bit complex, Hermione. I sincerely hope you'll be able to keep up with it." Dumbledore said, wonderingly.

"I will be fine. I have to be, after all." She said stiffly, not looking away from the shelves.

"Fleamont and Euphemia, as well as a vast majority of the wizarding population, have been told that your family was attacked by Voldemort. Your parents were killed. Fleamont recently lost his estranged cousin and his wife in what was undoubtedly a Death Eater attack, and with the proximity of his death date, he offered to let you take his take his family name. Your purported parents were Oberon and Cordelia Potter, of France." Hermione nodded, taking in the information.

"Is that how you plan on explaining my sudden appearance at Hogwarts for sixth year, should I still be here?" Hermione asked. Dumbledore chuckled.

"My, you are the bright one, aren't you?" He asked, watching as her eyes never left the bookshelves. She picked out a title or two and tucked them under her arm as she continued perusing. "Yes, indeed. I assume you will have been sorted in your own time, but we'll have to sort you again as a formality. If you are still here in August, I'll have Euphemia bring you up to the castle and we'll get you squared away."

"So, I assume part of my backstory is that I went to Beauxbatons. What else do I need to know in case James, Sirius, or Remus ask?" She asked.

"Not much is known about Oberon and Cordelia Potter, so if you fabricate a believable story, it shouldn't be disputed, as long as you don't contradict yourself. You would technically be labelled as a half-blood, as Cordelia was a Muggleborn. You will need to know about your false grandparents, though. With a name like Potter, you will undoubtedly be asked about your family. While Cordelia was a Muggleborn, Oberon was a pureblood, the son of Charlus Potter and Dorea Black."

"Black? So that would make me related to Sirius, as well?" She asked.

"Indeed. According to Fleamont the three of you are all second cousins." He told her. Hermione groaned.

"This is going to be _weird_." She sighed. "Is anything known about Charlus and Dorea?"

"They were both sorted into Slytherin, which reportedly drove a wedge between Charlus and James's grandfather, Henry, who was a Gryffindor and very outspoken about it. That prompted him to move to France with Dorea when Henry was offered his seat on the Wizengamot, especially when their more, erm, radical tendencies showed themselves." Dumbledore said.

"So Charlus and Dorea were blood purists?" Hermione asked.

"I'm afraid so, dear." Dumbledore nodded.

"Apparently they didn't pass along their views to Oberon, though, if he married a Muggleborn without repercussions."

"Indeed, it seems as though they may well have changed their ways." He said, nodding. "I can hardly believe you are only sixteen. I have difficulty talking about cover-ups this complex with most adults in the Order." Hermione smiled, a note of sadness behind it.

"I was known, affectionately by some, as the brightest witch of my age, in my time." She said. Dumbledore smiled gently.

"I believe it, dear girl." Dumbledore nodded, the twinkle in his eye replaced with a graveness Hermione had only seen a handful of times. She realized she was finally seeing the world as an Order member instead of a child, and that sort of terrified her. While she revelled in the sense of fighting the good fight, she also longed for the days where she was safe and protected from evil, insteading being part of the protection herself. Her mind called up the memory of the photo of the original Order and her stomach did a little flip when she realized she would be meeting most of the people in that picture, knowing nearly all of them wouldn't live to see the end of the war.

Hermione sighed as she realized how hard this mission was going to be.


	3. James and Sirius

**_A/N: Finally back from vacation. Hopefully this curbs the appetite for new content until I recoup enough to write every day again. This chapter was written in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana, Tennessee, and was published in Kentucky. It's been a wild ride._**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money off of this fic._

* * *

 _June 25, 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence_

Hermione was getting rather frustrated at her body's constant state of fatigue. It upset her that she couldn't do as much as she used to before she had to stop and take a nap, or at the very least, sit down. The day before, Dumbledore had taken her to the Department of Mysteries to talk to the Unspeakables over her case. They had been gone no more than two hours, but when Hermione had returned to the Potter Residence, she could barely hold her eyes open.

The Unspeakables had given her a few books from their archives, and had promised to work on her case diligently. Hermione had also gathered a few time books from Fleamont's library, one of which she was reading, propped up on a pillow in her bed, fighting sleep. Aunt Euphemia had left a few hours earlier, headed to pick the boys up from the Hogwarts Express. She had told Hermione that she hadn't told James and Sirius about her yet, but that she would explain to them on the way home. Hermione wasn't certain how they were getting home, but she wasn't too concerned about it. She was absorbed in a book , as usual. So much so that she didn't hear the _whoosh_ of the floo, nor the heavy footsteps, accentuated by the heavy _thunk_ of a school trunk being dragged behind someone. Indeed, she didn't so much as look up until a loud bang startled her, causing her to drop her book into her lap.

Startled, she looked up, searching for the source of the noise. Her eyes locked on the surprised face of young Sirius Black, her brown eyes meeting his grey. Hermione noted that he looked much the same as the Sirius from her time, his black, curly hair reaching his shoulders. His eyes held a light she'd never seen in the time she'd known him. She found herself subconsciously looking him over for his signature tattoos before she realized he'd gotten them. She blushed a little when she realized that he was checking her out a little as well.

"Who the bloody hell are _you_?" he asked. Her face turned bright red as she realized Aunt Euphemia had obviously informed him.

"I-" She started, but she was interrupted when they heard another _whoosh,_ then footsteps on the stairs.

"Sirius! Mate, listen, I didn't mean-" James Potter rushed into the room. Hermione was surprised by how much James really _did_ look like Harry. If it hadn't been for James's hazel eyes, Hermione would have be certain it was her best friend standing in front of her, not his father. He stopped dead beside his best friend, looking between Sirius and Hermione, blinking a few times in confusion.

"Who the the bloody hell are _you_?" James said, frowning at Hermione. That made Hermione giggle uncontrollably. They reminded her so much of Ron and Harry that she couldn't stop herself. They'd clearly been in the middle of a fight, which must have been why Aunt Euphemia hadn't had a chance to talk to them.

The boys stared at her, glancing sideways at each other with looks that told her they thought she was insane, but that just made her laugh outright. James and Sirius had started inching backwards toward the door when they all heard a third _whoosh_ , then Euphemia calling for the boys.

"They're up here, Aunt Euphemia!" Hermione called.

" _Aunt_ Euphemia?" Sirius asked, incredulously. The woman finally dragged herself up the stairs and into the room, gripping a stitch in her side and seemingly out of breath. Hermione figured she'd chased the boys back to the floos.

"Yes, Aunt Euphemia," She said, hands firmly on her hips. "If you'd listened to me on the platform, you'd know that this is your cousin, Hermione Potter. Hermione, these two hoodlums are James Potter and Sirius Black, your second cousins."

" _Both_ of our second cousins?" Sirius asked. "But that would mean you were the granddaughter of Charlus and Dorea, wouldn't it?" He asked. Hermione nodded, brows furrowed.

"How do you know that?" She asked.

"As the heir of the House of Black, I was expected to memorize the family tree. _Loads_ of fun." He said, rolling his eyes. "So you're a pureblood then?" he asked her, a mistrusting gleam in his eye as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Half-blood. Mum was a Muggleborn." she told him. He looked shocked.

"The son of a Potter and a Black married a Muggleborn? Well, that explains why I've never heard of you. Blasted off the family tree, I expect." Sirius said, then smiled, throwing her a wink. "Not to worry, I was, too."

"Thanks, Sirius," Hermione smiled, sadly.

"So why are you here?" James asked, the caught his mother's glare and quickly added, " Not that we're not thrilled to have another cousin in the house, that is."

"My parents and I were attacked by Death Eaters in France, where we used to live. They- erm, didn't make it. Aunt Euphemia and Uncle Fleamont offered to take me in, because, as you said, I was blasted off the Black family tree, and my mother had no living relatives. I'll only be here until I turn seventeen and can claim the family estate and trusts my father, Oberon, set up for me." she said, smoothly. Hermione watched Euphemia's face carefully; she looked pleasantly surprised, but nodded, telling Hermione she was believable.

She looked to the boys, whose faces had paled. Sirius looked down.

"Sorry for your loss," he murmured. "I- I should go erm, unpack." Sirius said, pulling his trunk behind him as he swiftly left the room, heading for James's room.

"James, sweetheart, go get your trunk, I'll be in in just a few minutes to help you two get settled, okay?" Euphemia said softly. He nodded, but turned to Hermione.

"It's nice to meet you, Hermione. Don't worry about Sirius, he just takes some getting used to, you know?" he grinned crookedly, looking just like Harry, which forced a smile from Hermione, too.

"Yeah, thanks, James. I'll see you later, yeah?" She said. He nodded once, smiling as he turned to leave. She watched him go, then turned to Euphemia.

"He's a good kid." she smiled.

"Usually. But when Sirius is involved, the two have a tendency to attract trouble?" she sighed.

"Like magnets? I know some people like that." Hermione smiled, thinking about her friends and how much she missed them.

* * *

 _June 26 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence_

Hermione woke up the next morning starving. She hadn't eaten the night before, as she'd fallen asleep almost immediately after the boys had burst into her room. She stretched, rubbing her eyes as she heard something outside her door. She pushed herself out of her bed and moved to the door, where she heard James and Sirius bickering.

"Mum told _you_ to wake her up!" James whisper-shouted on the other side of the door.

"But it's _your_ house, so she's _your_ guest."

"Yours, too, mate, you know that." he said, his tone much more serious.

Hermione closed the space between her and the door and pulled it open, startling the boys and causing them to jump back. They looked her over, eyes wide, and straightening up as they looked her over.

"Yes?" She asked, expectantly. The boys looked at each other, as if trying to get the other to speak up first. She raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms over her chest. Finally, Sirius sighed and locked eyes with her.

"Aunt Effie says breakfast is ready." He said.

"Effie?" Hermione said, the corner of her mouth twitching up.

"Well, yeah." He said, blushing. "'Aunt Euphemia' is such a mouthful. I've been calling her Aunt Effie since second year." he said. Hermione nodded. She agreed that the title _did_ add a bit of length to the name.

"Okay. I'll take my shower after breakfast." Hermione said, closing the door behind her and side stepping around the boys, turning to the stairs. She started down the steps, the boys watching her as she went before following. On the third or fourth step, she swayed a little, her head feeling funny. She took one more step and her vision went black. She felt herself pitch forward and then nothing.

The next thing she knew, she had a throbbing pain in her head, she heard James and Sirius, calling her name. She felt someone pulling her head into their lap.

"James, get Aunt Effie! Hurry!" Sirius said, and Hermione realized it was his lap she was situated in. Her eyes fluttered open, and she looked up into Sirius's concerned grey eyes.

"What- what happened?" she asked.

"I don't know," He said softly, his voice shaking. "It's like you passed out on the stairs."

"Oh, Hermione, dear, are you alright?" Aunt Effie said, bustling up the stairs and fussing over her.

"Yeah, I think I'm fine." She said, trying to get up.

"Don't move, dear. Sirius, love, do you think you could carry her back up to her bed?" Hermione blushed, but Sirius just grinned, then swept Hermione into his arms easily, making her wrap her arms around his neck to keep herself from falling. He walked up the stairs slowly, making sure she was okay. He fumbled with the door for a second, then laid her down on her bed, Aunt Effie right behind them.

"Sirius, you and James go down and fix Hermione some breakfast and bring it up for her while I check her out." SHe said. He looked Hermione over, clearly concerned, but then nodded and left the room. Aunt Effie pulled her wand and waved it over Hermione. After a few spells and a couple minutes, she tucked her wand away again.

"Looks like it was just a bit of vertigo, dear. I want you to rest up now. Until you get your strength back, though, I'll have one of the boys walk you down the stairs to make sure you don't fall again, alright?" she said. Hermione nodded.

"I hate being so dependent on others. But I suppose it can't be helped. I just hope they boys don't get fed up with me." She said.

"Honey, you should have seen James. He was frantic. I think the only reason Sirius was as calm as he was was because he was right there and didn't want to upset you." Aunt Effie said, with a smile. "My boys are good people, and you're family. They stand by family." she smiled to Hermione.

James came into the room then, carrying a tray of food and sitting it on the bedside table next to Hermione.

"Are- are you okay, Hermione?" He asked a little timidly. She smiled.

"Yeah, I think so. Thank you for helping me, and bringing me breakfast." She said sheepishly. She was surprised to see him perk up a little at that, his chest puffing out a little.

"Of course. You're family." He grinned. "I don't have much family that claim me, so I make sure to take care of the ones that do."

"And that goes double for me." Sirius said, leaning against the doorway. "I'm not sure how much weight the Potter name carried in France, but here, love, being a Potter means you're taken care of." Sirius's eye flashed. Hermione knew he was thinking about how her parents were killed. She was touched that they boys wanted to protect her, even if all they could do was help her up and down the stairs. Hermione had been an only child in her time. Harry and Ron had become like brothers to her, and she had thought losing them in this new time would be unbearable. But now, with James and Sirius so willingly protecting her, much the way Ron and Harry had, it was as though she had her friends back.

"Boys, I want you to watch out for Hermione when you can, alright?" Aunt Effie said. Both boys nodded.

"Remus is supposed to be here next week. I'll write him to let him know about her." James said. Sirius nodded.

"I think you'll like Remus, Hermione." Aunt Effie said. "He spends a lot of time in the library here, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you up there." she smiled.

Hermione smiled, nodding. In one sense she was glad that she'd have a familiar face to talk to, even if he didn't know her yet, but in another, she feared the boys would find out her secret like she knew they discovered Remus's. She took a deep breath, then reached for her breakfast, waving off James, who tried to set it in her lap. She gave him a smile.

"I'm way too independent to let you do _everything_ for me, you know." She told him. She watched him deflate a bit, but he grinned shyly when Sirius chuckled.

"Another independent Potter, eh? I believe we will get along just fine, Hermione." He said, dropping a wink her way. She felt herself blush and ducked her head into her plate, hiding her face with her hair. She had a feeling she'd be doing a lot of this.


	4. Time, Interrupted

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _June 29, 1976 Wimbourne, England - The Potter Residence_

Hermione sat in the library, having been helped upstairs by Sirius an hour earlier. She was surrounded by several books, some on physics and quantum mechanics, others on the principals of time, and how it correlates to magic. She placed her quill into the ink pot, leaving it there while she scrubbed both hands over her face. She was to meet with the Unspeakables again next week, and she had hoped to have an understanding about what exactly had happened to her by the time she met with them. Having used a time-turner in third year, she already knew more about time and the way it worked than most, but she still didn't fully grasp how what had happened had come to pass.

She heard the door to the library open softly and looked up to see a sandy blonde haired boy walk in, only to stop when he saw Hermione.

"Oh, hello there." She said, sounding tired even to her own ears. "You must be Remus Lupin. James and Sirius said you'd be here this week."

The boy smiled back, seemingly relaxing a bit. "Yeah, I'm Remus. So that must make you Hermione?" She nodded. "That's a fair amount of reading you're doing there, Hermione. Especially since it's the start of summer." He said, moving to sit across from her at the table.

"My parents always insisted that I continue my studies outside of school. Usually during the summer, I'd focus on English, French, Muggle History, and the Sciences. Mum always said it would help me become a well-rounded person, and it gave me something to do." She said, telling a half-truth. She usually _did_ continue her Muggle studies outside of school, mainly due to her own curiosity.

"That's very prudent." He said, with a smile. He lifted one of the books, and read the title out loud.

" _Principles of Quantum Mechanics._ Woah, you understand this stuff?" he asked, looking back up at her.

"Mostly. There are a couple areas that I don't quite understand. I'll have to read into them more thoroughly." She sighed, looking at the books around her, then down at the notes she'd taken.

"Do you mind if I study with you? I've found Muggle science intriguing since primary school, and I've tried to study some of it myself, but I have had trouble piecing some of it together." He said, his brows furrowed.

"Sure. Science and magic overlap in lots of places, too, so it could only help your studies at Hogwarts." Hermione beamed, "Though you'll probably want to start with something you're familiar with." She shuffled her books and papers around until she found the book she was looking for.

"There. _Astronomy and Astrophysics._ Surely Hogwarts has an Astronomy class, yeah?" She said, with a smile. She caught the a look of panic in his eye for a second, before it faded with her second remark.

"Yeah, it does. One of my favorite classes, actually." He said with a small smile, accepting the book.

Both children settled in then to read, the silence interrupted every now and again with Remus asking Hermione a question about terminology, or Hermione asking a question about magical theory. Remus was very good at Charms and Transfiguration, and so if something had slipped her mind, she didn't hesitate to ask him. They sat like that most of the afternoon, until Sirius came up to get them for dinner. As they walked down the three flights of stairs to the ground floor, Sirius was careful to stay just a step or two ahead of her, glancing back occasionally. Apparently they hadn't explained Hermione's condition to Remus yet, as he looked at his friend funnily, but shrugged it off. Hermione assumed he'd asked him later. Hermione forgot all about it as soon as they made it into the dining room and dug into the food that was already laid out there.

* * *

 _That Night, Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

The boys walked Hermione back up to her room after dinner, then ventured down the hallway to their respective rooms. Hermione only heard one door close, so she assumed they'd all gathered in James and Sirius's room. She didn't think anything of that; having spent all last summer at Grimmauld place with Harry, Ron, and the rest of the Weasley clan, she knew what to expect from boys their age.

What Hermione didn't expect was what she heard when she opened her closet. Euphemia had taken her out the week before to replenish her wardrobe. Her walk-in closet included a dresser that she kept her nightclothes in and she had taken to changing in the closet. She knew her bathroom and closet backed up to the wall of Remus's room, so she was surprised when she could hear the boys voices through the wall. She furrowed her eyebrows at that, but shrugged it off. What was it to her which room they congregated in? But then, just as she finished changing into her tank top and shorts, she heard her name from the other side of the wall.

Her curiosity was piqued, and though she knew it wasn't right to eavesdrop on the boys, she couldn't help herself. She moved closer to the wall, pressing her ear against it.

"...seems really smart, you know? She was reading advanced Muggle science books in the library earlier." Remus said.

"Yeah, when we first got back from school, she had three or four books in bed with her. Think she'll be a Ravenclaw, then?" Sirius said.

" _Please_ , this is my gene pool we're talking about, Pads. She'll be a Gryffindor, no contest."

"My gene pool too, Prongs. Actually, it's about a fifty-fifty split. What's to say she's not in Slytherin?"

"She could be in Hufflepuff for all we know," Remus said. "We've only just met her. Who are we to judge her?"

"Moony, you should know by now that we judge everyone. Regardless if we know them." James laughed.

"Besides, it's not like we'll disown her if she's anything other that Gryffindor. Only way that would happen is if she turns into a blood purist Slytherin. But given what happened to her parents, I don't think that's gonna be an issue." Sirius said. The room went quiet, and Hermione could practically hear the tension. Finally, James cleared his throat.

"So, erm, you finally gonna try out for quidditch this year, Pads? Finally a spot open and it's the Prewett's last year."

Hermione listened for a bit longer, once she was sure that they were truly just talking about quidditch, she turned away, moving to her bed and crawling in, thinking about what she'd heard.

It was nice that the boys were so invested in which house she'd be in, but it worried her how invested they were after just a few days. She shook her head, trying to clear it as she reached over and clicked off her lamp. Dumbledore was coming to get her tomorrow for a few more tests at the Ministry. He told her that these tests would determine whether or not she should begin preparing to stay for a long period of time. Hermione had a horrid feeling in the pit of her stomach telling her she probably wasn't going home any time soon.

* * *

 _June 30, 1976 London, England - Ministry of Magic, Department of Mysteries_

Hermione looked around the room, anxiously. She knew that she was safe, Dumbledore was standing right beside her, but she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder, regardless. She had been the way the last time she'd visited the Department of Mysteries, as well. She couldn't shake the feeling that Death Eaters were still chasing her. She was startled back into the present by a gentle hand on her shoulder that nonetheless caused her to jump. Blue eyes peered down at her, knowingly.

"Are you alright, Hermione?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yeah," She said weakly. "I just have a- feeling. I don't how to describe it." She looked around, spotting the glass case containing the time-turners. She walked over to the case, tilting her head. It looked different than she remembered, but she wasn't surprised by that; this _was_ twenty years prior to her experience with the Ministry. No, what surprised her was the sudden wave of vertigo. As she looked up to the place where the hourglass that fell on her _should_ have been, she saw the outline of it, but as she tried to look harder, she felt herself falling and her vision going black. She spun on her heels, counting to ten and taking deep breaths as she walked away from the case.

When she looked up, Dumbledore, along with one of the Unspeakables, an older woman named Henrietta, were watching her carefully, seeming ready to catch her should she fall. She glanced back at the case, looking away when her vision faltered again.

"I can't look at it. Every time I try, my vision goes black. I know roughly where the hourglass that hit me was located, but I can't look directly at it without passing out." She said.

"That's okay, dear girl." Dumbledore said, wrapping an arm around her and leading her away from the case, towards one of the desks. "Let's see if you can try to draw the time-turner, and the ones around it. That will help the Unspeakables pinpoint the one in question and study it. After you are finished with that, I'll take you home so that you can rest." he said. Hermione nodded, settling herself into a chair and focusing on her task. It was easier to draw the object than it was to look at it, though it did give her a headache. As she focused on the lines before her, her vision swam a bit, and she heard disembodied voices. She looked around and was shocked to see three ghost-like images around her. She knew they weren't really there, but nonetheless, it unnerved her that two of them wore the masks that she had come to associate with Death Eaters.

"What was it you needed to show me, Rookwood?" she heard a cold drawl from the only man not wearing a mask.

"My Lord, I was informed by another Unspeakable just this morning that there was a disturbance in the space-time continuum in this very room. It's powerful magic, indeed. I'm not sure who or what is behind the anomaly, but I will keep you updated about it when the information becomes available." Her vision swam again and the figures faded away, replaced by the looming figure of Dumbledore, hunched over and peering into her eyes concernedly.

"Professor," She said, brows furrowed. "Who is Rookwood?" she asked. Dumbledore's eyes shot up.

"He's an Unspeakable who works in the Death Chamber." he told her. "How do you know that name, Hermione?" he asked, worriedly.

"Just now I- saw something. Three men, two wearing masks. They were here, in this room. One man- the one not wearing a mask- I think he was Voldemort. He addressed another as Rookwood. They know there was a disturbance in space-time, but not what caused it, as of yet."

"So you had a vision of this? Do you know when this occurred?" Dumbledore asked her. She shook her head.

"Hermione, you _must_ tell me if you see anything like this again. This could be a valuable asset to the Order." He said, blue eyes boring into brown. She nodded, realizing she'd seen this same sort of behavior from Dumbledore before, with Harry. It was then she grasped the significance of what she'd told him. She groaned inwardly, realizing that this would put her, once again, at the forefront of a war, a pawn in a grand game of chess between Voldemort and Dumbledore.

"Let's get you home, dear. I've had the Deputy Headmistress gather some textbooks for you to look over, they'll be owled to you at the Potters'. You were in fifth year in your time, yes?" Dumbledore asked as they walked through the Time Room, weaving through the corridors and heading for the golden lifts that would take them back to the Atrium.

"Yes, sir." She said.

"I would like you to study up on what you missed, as I've arranged for you to take your O. two weeks from now. You'll need the results to be admitted to N.E.W.T level courses. On the final day of the exams, you'll also be reSorted. I expect Mr. Lupin, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Black will be able to help you in your studies, should you need it." He told her.

Hermione suddenly felt very anxious. She'd been pouring over how she was going to get home, and in that time, she'd completely forgotten about school work. She knew, as she and Dumbledore ascended towards to Atrium, that the next two weeks would be filled with tireless studying, and she'd definitely be asking Remus for help, quizzing her. She sighed, thinking about how similar her situation in this time was to her own. She tried to ease her mind, trying to just live in the moment. There wasn't anything she could do about her situtation at the moment, anyway.


	5. Lions and Exams

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _July 11, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

It was getting late, and still Hermione sat in the little library, surrounded by books. She had spent the last two weeks going over and over the books McGonagall had brought her with Remus, up until Friday night. He'd told her he'd gotten an owl from his father, saying his mother was ill and he was needed back home. Hermione had expected the excuse, and didn't question it. She knew the full moon was tonight and she was surprised that he'd been allowed to stay even that long.

James and Sirius had made appearances every so often, usually for an hour or two to check on the pair of bookworms. But by and large, the boys spent their days playing wizard chess, or exploding snap, or chasing each other through the field behind the house on their brooms. Tonight, though, the boys were nowhere to be found.

Hermione's exams were to begin tomorrow, and while she still felt grossly unprepared, she knew that cramming and more would get her nowhere. She closed her books, stacking them neatly, and stretched, moving to the window and looking out on the darkened gardens below. It was then she noticed something odd.

The gardens were illuminated by little fairy lights, as always, as Aunt Euphemia liked sitting outside in the evening air. But there was a shadow, sticking close to the edge of these lights, sulking its way across the gardens. When it reached the far end, she watched as the shadow changed shape, from a roughly man-sized shadow to that of a large dog. She instantly knew who it was, but she was curious about why Sirius was out this late.

She turned away from the window quickly and padded to the stairs, turning the corner and coming face-to-chest with James.

"Oi, watch where you're going, 'Mione." he said, grabbing her upper arms to steady her. She looked up at him suspiciously. He almost never came up to the library without Sirius, and the fact that she'd just seen Sirius transform in the garden, then immediately after, she ran into James told her that James was running interference. If she had been anyone else, it would have worked, too. She was surprised by how intelligent the pair actually were, but she still had a burning curiosity about what it was exactly that Sirius was doing.

"Sorry, James," She murmured. "Where's Sirius? Aren't you two usually attached at the hip?" She asked teasingly.

"Dunno. I'm not his keeper, after all." he said somewhat indignantly, crossing his arms over his chest. If she hadn't been looking for his tells, she would have believed he honestly didn't know. James only really sounded indignant when he was joking or lying, Hermione had come to find out.

"So if he were, say, out in the gardens, you'd have no idea?" she said, testing the water with him.

"How-" He started, his eyes widening before he caught himself. "Why would he be out there? It's nearly eleven!" he claimed. It was Hermione's turn to cross her arms over her chest.

"That's an excellent question, James." She said, stepping around him and moving down the stairs. She made it to the landing before he caught up with her.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Sirius can be a bit… odd sometimes. He probably just needs some space." He said, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walked down the stairs beside Hermione.

"Well, I hope he doesn't come up the stairs at two in the morning, making a fuss and waking me up. I have an exam in the morning." She said, turning to face him when they reached the second floor. "And I don't know about you, James Potter, but I'm _dog_ tired." She said, turning and marching into her bedroom, leaving behind a shocked James.

* * *

 _July 24, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione sighed, pushing yet another book away. Remus looked up at her from across the table, looking tired. He'd returned to the Potter house a few days ago, with fresh, pinkish scars along his face. Hermione knew better than to ask how he was; she knew the first week after the change was always rough for him. He'd been in the library all day with her, quizzing her and trying to keep her focused. She only had four more exams, and she was absolutely worn out from the first weeks' exams. Her hardest exam, Arithmancy, was scheduled for wednesday, and she was so anxious for it to be over, she couldn't stand it.

"Hermione, you'll be fine. You're brilliant, I can see that by how easily you've been getting questions that I couldn't figure out for the life of me." Remus chuckled, looking her over. Hermione sighed again, but smiled at Remus and closed her book.

"Maybe I should take a do usually do right before a big test?" She asked. He shrugged.

"Study until my brain is mush, then go hang out with Sirius and James and beat the snot out of Sirius in Wizard's Chess." He grinned. That made Hermione laugh. She stood, pushing her books back into their places and looking to Remus.

"Let's go find them and see if we can't talk them into a game, shall we?" She said, a twinkle in her eye. He smiled at her followed her down the stairs in search of the other boys.

* * *

 _July 29, 1976 Hogwarts School, Scotland - Headmaster's Office_

Hermione had finally finished her History of Magic exam and had handed in her paper to Professor McGonagall, who'd administered all of her exams. Now, she stood in Dumbledore's office, anxiously awaiting his return so that she could be properly sorted in this time.

She jumped a little when she heard Fawkes squawk, and she turned to see Dumbledore sweeping into the room, clapping his hands together.

"Testing is done, and now we're ready for Sorting." He said pleasantly, pulling his wand and conjuring an overstuffed chintz chair for Hermione. "Take a seat, dear, while I fetch the Hat.

Hermione sat, rather rigidly, in the chair, some of her nerves she remembered from first year coming back to her. She took a deep breath before Dumbledore sat the Hat atop her head.

 _My, my. It seems you remember me, Miss Granger, but I do not remember you. A time traveller, then. It's not often you see one of those, now, is it?_ The hat said, ponderingly.

 _What do you mean, not often? You've seen people in my situation before?_ Hermione thought toward the Hat.

 _Not quite in your_ exact _situation, but time travellers nonetheless. Now then, it seems, in your time, you were sorted into Gryffindor. You have all the merits required, but perhaps you'd like a change of pace? Perhaps Ravenclaw, or even Slytherin this go round. You_ are _a half-blood in this timeline._ The Hat said.

 _I think I'm safer in Gryffindor, where my cousins will be able to stay close should anything happen._ She thought.

 _Hm. Very well, then. We'll put you in…_

" _GRYFFINDOR!"_

Hermione beamed at being placed in her old house. She was quite glad that she would be sharing a common room with Remus, Sirius, and James; it made her feel better about being in a different time, really. After Dumbledore put the Sorting Hat away, she stood, feeling suddenly and inexplicably exhausted. Her vision began to swim and she knew this feeling by now. She sharply sat back down, as quickly as she had stood up. She looked up, ghost-like blurs all around her, as though she was standing still and the world was moving in fast-forward. The blurs finally slowed, and Hermione could make out the form of Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, Slughorn, and Sprout gathered around the desk of the Headmaster.

"The Bones family was attacked this morning. The two Bones children remaining, Susan and Thomas Bones, will need to be notified. Their parents and older brother Edgar, along with their sister-in-law and nieces and nephews, were all killed."

"Susan will be of age by summer. Until then the two can remain at Hogwarts during holidays." Professor Sprout said. "As their Head of House, I will pull them aside at breakfast and handle the arrangements, Albus." The woman said.

"Thank you, Pomona. The Order will help out as much as we can; Edgar and his wife were among our ranks, if you recall."

Hermione's vision swam again, the ghostly figures disappearing. Dumbledore came back into focus and Hermione felt a massive headache coming on.

"Bones… family, murdered. Death Eaters." she stumbled over her words before passing out.

* * *

 _July 30, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione awoke the next morning to find Remus sitting next to her bed, reading a book. He looked up at her when she stirred, relief washing over his face.

"Finally, Hermione. You gave us all quite a scare." He said, marking his spot in his book and sitting up aa bit straighter. "James and Sirius especially. You should have seen them. I knew they were all about family - well, the family that matters- but I never expected they'd get so bent out of shape over a cousin they just met."

"Funny, those two." Hermione said, groggily. "How long have you been sitting with me, Remus?" the boy checked his watch.

"Since about three this morning. I made Sirius go to sleep, promised I'd watch over you myself." he told her. "Mrs. Potter was quite concerned, too. When James and Sirius insisted she let them watch over you, she agreed at once. I just think she didn't want you to be alone when you woke up." Hermione sat up, her stomach growling a bit as she did.

"What time is it?" she asked Remus.

"Nearly nine. Mrs. Potter should have breakfast almost done. Would you like me to bring some up for you, or do you want me to help you downstairs?" He asked her.

"I need to move, so let's go downstairs. I'm sure the boys are anxious to see me up and moving around, anyway." Hermione said. Remus nodded at that, smiling.

"Hermione, I've been meaning to ask- and please don't take this the wrong way. James told me that we had to watch out for your dizzy spells and vertigo on the stairs. Why is that such an issue with you?" he asked. Hermione sighed. She knew sooner or later Remus would get comfortable enough to start asking her questions. Luckily, this one, she didn't even have the answer to herself.

"When my parents and I were attacked, I sustained a rather hefty head injury. I'm not sure it's completely healed, and sometimes my vision goes black and my balance gets all wonky. I'm not exactly sure why." There, that was mostly truth. She wouldn't feel so bad about that answer later. Remus nodded, his brows still furrowed as he helped Hermione out of bed.

"Well, let me know if I can help, alright?" He smiled at her. She nodded and followed him downstairs. When Hermione and Remus made it to the ground floor, Hermione was instantly taken aback by a large volume of red and gold streamers that draped every visible surface. Balloons in the same colors littered the floors, and at the table, peering up at her with broad grins on their faces, sat James and Sirius, both wearing their Gryffindor ties loosely around their necks.

"Heard you were sorted into the best house, Hermione." James called.

"So we decided to throw a little celebration. How are you feeling?" Sirius said.

"I'm alright, just hungry." she told them.

"Well you're in luck; Mum's just finishing up breakfast. Your favorite: French toast and sausage links." James grinned at her as she sat across the table from him. Hermione chuckled.

"Perhaps I should pass out more often, if this is what I get when I wake up." she joked.

"How about you pass out _less_ often and save James and I from a heart attack?" Sirius said. Hermione shrugged.

"Not like I can control it, you know." She said. But as she said that, something clicked in her head. What if she _could_?

She was having visions, seemingly at random, triggered by what seemed to be people and locations that had to do with the vision. If she could control the visions, not only would she be able to stop herself from passing out at random, perhaps- and this was a very _big_ perhaps- she could control what she saw and when she saw it.

She knew it was a big jump and she would have a lot of research about Seers and time to verify if it was even possible, but if it was, it was her best-case scenario. Hermione shook her head, clearing it of the plans she'd made which had been spurred from an errant comment just as Aunt Effie brought breakfast in. She tucked into her French toast and settled back, watching her cousins, and Remus, talking animatedly about everything from quidditch to their anticipated O.W.L. scores, surrounded by Gryffindor red streamers. Yes, she decided. She was glad to be a Gryffindor.


	6. Nightmares

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 5, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione sat on the wooden swing that hung in the flowering Dogwood tree in the garden behind the Potter house, watching as James, Sirius, and Remus decorated a table and the surrounding area. It was Peter Pettigrew's birthday today, and they had invited him to the house for a party. Hermione wasn't particularly fond of meeting the boy who would go on to betray James and Lily, but she couldn't rightly explain her absence to the boys without them worrying after her health.

Overall, her health had improved. She'd begun reading up on the limited mind-over-matter techniques she could find in the library, and she had made a concentrated effort to sit and meditate each night before going to bed. The first few nights, when she'd tried to push all thought away, she'd become dizzy and would have to take a break for fear of passing out. She remained vigilant, though, and made sure she meditated for at least an hour each night, breaks or no.

Her reward for her meditation was increased energy during the day. She was able to do whatever she wanted without fear of running out of steam midway through. At least, that's what she had thought the first few days. She'd been doing her nightly routine for five days now, but today she was so drained she could barely stand it. She hadn't had any more sudden falls or vertigo, which was a good sign, though the boys still helped her up and down the stairs. However, she found that the more active she was during the day, the harder it became to keep to her hour-long meditation at night. She'd fall asleep during it, or worse would forget about it all together, which was exactly what happened the night before. Last night, though, was the first time she'd experienced the nightmares. They were so severe, she'd woken up trembling around three in the morning and hadn't been able to go back to sleep, which is why she was currently so exhausted.

She sat in the swing because it allowed her to look like she was part of the gathering while preventing her from sleeping. Or so she thought. She'd drifted off a couple times and had nearly fallen to the ground, but she always managed to catch herself, and as far as she knew, none of the boys had seen her. It was during one of these moments of half-sleep when Hermione felt the swing move. It jolted her awake and she glanced over her shoulder. Sirius was behind her, both hands on the ropes and a grin that spoke of mischief plastered on his face. He pulled the swing towards him, taking a few steps back and pulling it with him, bringing Hermione with him. She had to quickly hold onto the ropes just below his hands to keep herself from falling off.

"You weren't sleeping, were you?" He murmured into her ear before letting go, sending her forward on the swing. She pumped her legs once, looking back over her her shoulder as she glided back towards him.

"No, I was just resting my eyes." She said, though she couldn't tell if it was lost in her movement. She heard Sirius snort a laugh behind her.

"Could have fooled me. You've been nodding off for nearly half an hour." He said. Hermione felt herself flush. So he _had_ been watching her. She tried to think too much on that; recently, Sirius had started sticking to her quite a bit more than normal, following her around like a lost puppy. He'd begun sitting in the library with Remus and her, sometimes joined by James, but more often than not, alone. He and Remus had taken to playing Wizard's Chess quietly while Hermione read, but Hermione had a tendency to help Sirius when this was the case, but to Remus's displeasure.

"It was a rough night." Hermione sighed at last, giving up on pumping her legs.

"Why's that?" Sirius asked, slowing her down, to a gentle back-and-forth.

"Dunno. Tossed and turned all night." She lied, smoothly. Sirius went quiet and when she looked back at him, his eyebrows had pulled together. "What?" She asked him.

"Remus said he heard you- erm, talking in your sleep. Loudly." He said, not looking at her. Hermione paled. It would make sense, she figured, that if she could hear the boys talking in her closet, Remus would be able to hear _her_ , as well. "Are you okay, Hermione?" he asked.

"Nightmares. Of the night when- you know." Hermione said. It was a half-truth, but a believable one. Besides, she was certain the attackers in her dreams were Death Eaters. Sirius nodded once, still not looking at her.

"Want me to walk you up to your room? I can get you some Dreamless Sleep potion, if you want, too?" he asked. She smiled at him.

"Thanks for the offer, Sirius, but I don't want to worry everyone, especially Aunt Effie." she said. Sirius frowned, but nodded.

"Suit yourself. Peter will be here in a bit. Wanna get in a game of chess while we wait?" He asked. She nodded, standing up from the swing and following him to the table where Remus and James had just finished setting up.

* * *

 _That Night, Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione finally made it back to her room that night at around nine, still a little early to go to bed, but she planned on getting in her full meditation if it killed her. The boys, who had walked her upstairs, had immediately retreated to Remus's room, though Peter had left an hour before.

Hermione moved towards her closet to change when she noticed a bottle on her nightstand, along with a little note. Curious, she walked over to the nightstand instead, picking up the note first.

 _Hermione,_

 _I brought you this from Aunt Effie's supply cabinet. There's more than one bottle, and she keeps them in stock for Remus when he's here. She doesn't have to know about it._

 _Sleep well,_

 _Sirius_

Hermione picked up the bottle and read the neat script on the label. _Dreamless Sleep Potion._ She hadn't realized Remus suffered from chronic nightmares to the point that Aunt Effie would keep a stock of the stuff in her cabinet. Hermione replaced the bottle on her nightstand and moved to the closet to change. If she was honest with herself, she knew she was also hoping to catch snippets of the boys' conversations again tonight. She listened carefully as she changed, trying to pick up details.

"What do you mean, you think she know, Prongs?" Sirius hissed so low, she could barely hear.

"I _mean_ , she said she was _dog_ tired when you snuck out on the full moon, Pads. Emphasised it and everything." James said, clearly exasperated by his friends' attitude.

"Did it ever strike you two that she could hear _us_ the same way I heard _her?_ " Remus asked, worriedly.

"Shit." Sirius said, then Hermione heard a fair bit of shuffling in the room. Suddenly, her ears were filled with a familiar buzzing, and she knew they had casted a muffling charm. She sighed, then padded back out into her room. She hopped up onto her bed and settled down to meditate, pushing away all thoughts and trying to relax.

An image from her nightmares popped up, then; a small child being brutally beaten by men in dark cloaks and shining, silver masks. She shook her head, willing the image to go away, to force it back into the careful boxes she had constructed, but it wouldn't budge. She was forced to watch the scene play out, shaking quietly.

 _The little girl was sobbing, clutching a teddy bear and begging, pleading the men to go away. They wouldn't listen. Why wouldn't they listen?_

" _I haven't done anything wrong!" she screamed._

" _You didn't have to. Being alive is enough of a sin, Muggle." one man said. He kicked her in the gut, then in the head. She cried for her mommy, then her daddy, but no one came._

" _Shut your mouth, bitch. They're dead. And soon, you will be too."_

" _D-dead?" the girl's eyes widened in fear._

" _I'm growing bored, boys, what do you say we finish this?" a tall man with a shock of white-blonde hair said. Hermione knew he must be a Malfoy._

" _Avada Kedavra." He shot, almost lazily, towards the girl._

Hermione saw the flash of green and suddenly she was snapped back to reality by a pair of hands on her upper arms, shaking her. She opened her eyes and came face to face with Sirius, his eyes wide and concerned.

"Hermione, what happened? You were struggling and talking to yourself. Are you okay?" Sirius asked. Hermione noticed James and Remus just steps behind Sirius, all wearing concerned expressions.

"Just- er, fell asleep sitting up. Nightmares." She said. One glance from Sirius told her he didn't believe that for a second. She saw Remus throw a knowing look at James as well and knew that if she didn't come up with something, she'd have three nosy and quite persistent boys on her trail. "I was having a flashback." She sighed, resignedly. "They don't happen often, but this one was bad." Another look at Sirius told her she was believable this time.

"Have you told anyone about them? Mum, or Dumbledore?" James asked. Hermione shook her head.

"Please don't tell anyone. I don't want to cause more trouble." She pleaded. Sirius glanced to James, the boys sharing a long look before James nodded once.

"Alright, we'll keep your secret." Sirius said. "But I want you to use the potion tonight. And let us know if there's _anything_ we can do." Hermione huffed.

"I'm not one to be coddled, Sirius Black. I'm already frustrated enough that you lot follow me everywhere. I can take care of myself, thank you very much." She snapped, placing her hands over his and gently pushing him away. She frowned at him as she watched his face fall. Part of her broke a little, watching how disheartened he was at her outburst. Another part, a far smaller part, reminded her that she couldn't stay here. She couldn't let these boys get close to her. It would disrupt time.

"I'll just- go." Sirius said, straightening up and looking at her for a moment before shoving past James and Remus and storming out the door. A few moments later, the heard a door slam. James sighed.

"Remus, mind if I room with you tonight? I really don't have time for the drama queen." He said, resignedly.

"Not at all, mate." Remus grinned wryly. James nodded, smiled a little at Hermione, then left as well. Remus stayed a bit longer.

"You shouldn't be so hard on him, Hermione. I know you're in a bad way right now, but he just wants to help." Remus said, moving to her nightstand and picking up the Dreamless Sleep potion. He looked it over then gently tossed it into Hermione's lap. "Your secret is still safe." He told her, giving her a small smile.

"Thank you, Remus." She murmured, looking down at her lap.

"Take care of yourself, Hermione. And please." He made direct eye contact with her. "Be careful."

She knew he suspected her of knowing about Sirius, and possibly even James, being animagus, but there was no reason for him to believe that she knew about him. She could still see the fear in his eyes, the unasked question. _Do you know?_

Hermione smiled to the boy.

"I will be, Remus. I think I'm mostly just irritable from lack of sleep. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She said. She saw him relax, then smile.

"Sleep well." He said, finally turning and leaving the room, closing the door behind him. She sighed, glad the crisis had been averted. Hermione glanced at the Dreamless Sleep potion and shrugged. She uncorked it and took a swig, not wanting to over do it. She corked the potion and placed it in the drawer of her bedside table before laying back and swiftly falling asleep.


	7. Waiting for Starlight

**_A/N: Hope you all like this fic so far. I've been having a hard time getting into it. Also, ask me about the HP Discord server I help run. Enjoy. :)_**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 6, 1976 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione was woke early the next morning by the Aunt Effie, who was holding several letters in her hand and asked her, while yelling at the boys to _not_ run down the stairs, please, to come to the great room for a family meeting. The boys sounded excited, and James even peeked his head in as Aunt Effie was leaving, begging Hermione to hurry. He waited for her to get up and even walked her down the stairs, if impatiently.

"What's all this, then?" Hermione asked him.

"Our O.W.L.s are in! They held them up because yours hadn't been scored yet, but they just arrived this morning!" James told her, excitedly. Hermione understood the urgency now, but she still took her time as to to not fall down the stairs. She was feeling rather shaky and didn't want to push herself. They finally made it into the great room and James took a seat on the couch between Sirius and Remus and Hermione sat in the armchair next to the couch. Aunt Euphemia looked over the letters in her hand and passed them out one by one.

"Remus, your father has written you, too." She said, handing him that letter as well. Hermione received her letter and nervously opened the envelope. She pulled out the parchment and unfolded it, reading carefully. She sighed in relief at first, but then her eyebrows pulled together.

"Oh no." She muttered. "How did I only get an 'E' in Defense?" Sirius, having heard her and already exchanged his scored with James, stood and plucked the paper from her hands.

"Blimey, Hermione, all 'O's and you're worried about an 'E' in Defense?" he muttered. "I mean, we've all got 'O's in Defense, but you've outperformed us in every other subject! You'll give Evans a run for her money!" Hermione smiled a bit at the compliment. She didn't know much about Lily Evans in this time, but Sirius and Remus were smart, and by the looks of it, so was James. She grabbed her paper back, noticing him flinch a little, but then she looked up at Sirius.

"Could I see your scores?" She asked, her voice small. She was rather embarrassed by the way she went off on him the night before, but she hadn't said anything she didn't mean. She knew, though, that she'd rather have Sirius and the others as her friends in this time than as her enemy. His face lit up and he pulled his results out of James's hands, giving the other boy a paper cut in the process.

"Oi! Watch it." James called, but it fell on deaf ears as Sirius was already handing it to Hermione. She studied his results, frowning when she saw his History of Magic grade was a 'P', and his herbology grade, while passing, was not much better.

"Your History of Magic results are- well-" She started

"Shite, we know." James chuckled. "But to be fair, you've never had to sit through a lesson with Professor Binns. Puts the whole class to sleep, he does." Hermione suppressed a chuckle. Binns _was_ known for droning on and on in her time. Seemed he wasn't much better these days.

"The rest are surprisingly good. If I didn't know better, I'd say you're actually pretty smart, Sirius." She chuckled. He frowned a bit, but then shared a smile with her. Her heart warmed a bit at the sight.

"Remus, what did your father say?" Hermione asked. The pale boy looked up, a bit of fear in his eyes, but otherwise he looked calm. He quickly masked the fear and Hermione knew it was because of the presence of James and Sirius. They made her feel safe, and she was sure they had a similar effect on Remus.

"Mum's still sick. Dad wants me to come home for the rest of the summer, so I can help take care of her, and so he can take me to Diagon Alley to shop for supplies." He said. Hermione nodded.

"I hope she gets better, soon." she said, sincerely. "Maybe we can meet up in Diagon Alley for lunch?" She said, turning to Aunt Euphemia, who had retreated to the kitchen to give the children a bit of privacy.

"I'll owl Lyall and see about the dates." Aunt Effie said, smiling. Remus grinned and nodded.

"I'd like that, Mrs. Potter." he beamed. Hermione's heart swelled at the smile on his face.

* * *

 _August 9, 1976, Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence_

Hermione lay in bed, listening for the creak of the floorboard at the top of the stairs. Sirius had to go past her room to get to the garden, after all. She'd already done her meditation, and she'd been feigning sleep for the better part of an hour when she heard the creaking her ears had been searching for, along with hushed whispers. She strained her ears.

"Prongs, I need you here, mate. In case anyone starts asking questions." Sirius said.

"You went alone last time. Hermione's been in bed long enough to be out, Mum and Dad are out, too, with a silencing charm on their door. I want to come with you, mate, especially if you don't take the Cloak." He said. Hermione could nearly hear the tension.

"Fine. Come on, then." Sirius muttered, and she heard two sets of feet tread carefully down the steps. She didn't dare move until she heard the door to the gardens close. She got out of bed, dressed in jeans and a tshirt, and slid her shoes on quickly. She grabbed her wand and a light jacket, as the nights had been getting cooler, and she padded down the stairs after the boys.

She made it to the garden in just enough time to see the white tail of a stag disappear down a trail into a wooded area behind the house. She followed them, though not too closely; she knew their animal senses were far superior to hers. Once she made it onto the trail, she was forced to light her wand, but at this point, there was no point trying to hide from the boys. She'd already seen them transform, or at least, she could say she had.

She followed the trail to a small clearing, brightly lit under the full moon. There, looking up and facing away from her, silhouetted in the moonlight, a stag and a large dog sat next to each other, looking up. Hermione lowered her wand.

" _Nox._ " She muttered. She didn't need the light now that she was out in the open. She stood watching the two animals for a moment more in the shadows of the tree line, but when she shifted her weight, a rotten log gave way under her weight, causing her to slip and fall. She let out a short, surprised help before she could stop herself. She looked over to the animals from her spot on the ground and realized both had turned towards her. Hermione got to her feet and dusted herself off, picking up her wand from the ground, before walking out into the field.

The dog, Padfoot, stood, standing between her and Prongs. Prongs just looked at her peacefully, somehow seeming indifferent.

"Hi, Padfoot." She said to the dog when she was close enough. He flattened his ears and tilted his head at Hermione, as though asking how she knew. She smiled at him.

"I saw you sneak out last month from the library. You really need to change in the treeline. Then I overheard you and Prongs there talking with Remus." She said, nodding to Prongs. Padfoot looked over his shoulder at Prongs. The stag dipped his head once and suddenly, James and Sirius were standing in front of her.

"We thought you were asleep. You really shouldn't be out here. It's not safe." Sirius said, looking anxious.

"It's safe enough. You two are out here, right? At the very least, you can keep me safe." She said with a smile. "Besides, I'm a big girl, Sirius. I know my way around a wand."

"How much do you know, Hermione?" James asked, seriously.

"I know about Remus, if that's what you're asking." She said, looking down. "I feel so bad for him, being alone once a month. I assume that's why you became animagi, right?" She looked up at the two, dumbfound expressions plastered on their faces.

"How do -" Sirius started, but Hermione shrugged it off.

"Sometimes, I just… _know_ things. And then there's these nightmares. It's like they're _actually happening_. I- I don't know how to deal with it." She admitted, hugging herself. James took a step closer, adopting a protective stance. The corner of Hermione's mouth twitched up at that.

"Have you ever thought you might be a Seer, Hermione?" James asked. Her heart leapt. Of course! A Seer was a perfect cover for a Time Traveller. She knew she couldn't be too eager to accept the title, though.

"Maybe? I- I don't know. My head is really messed up." She said, looking to the ground again. She was surprised when she felt warm fingers under her chin, pulling it up. Her eyes met grey, Sirius's eyes looking even brighter in the moonlight.

"You know what I always do when my head is messed up?" Sirius asked. She shook her head. Sirius smiled. "I come out here. Alone or with James, either works. I come out here and I look up" He said, looking up at the sky above them. They were far enough away from the lights of the city that they could see the sky in all its beauty. Hermione looked up at the sky, taking in the vast expanse before her.

"Why do you change when you come out here?" She asked, quietly. He shrugged.

"Feels more personal. Like, we don't need words to communicate, just looks and body language." Sirius murmured.

"That, and if Remus has to become an animal once a month, we don't want him to do it alone. Even if we can't physically be with him." James said.

"If you want to change back, you can. But I'd like to stay with you. At least for tonight." Hermione said.

"For tonight. But once we're back at Hogwarts, full moons are dangerous for you, Hermione." Sirius said. She nodded.

"I promise I won't follow you out on a full moon at school." She said. Accepting her promise, James nodded once before stepping back and returning to his stag form.

Prongs approached the two humans, nudging Sirius with his nose. Sirius giggled.

"Yeah, yeah, gimme a second, Prongs." Sirius said, reaching up and patting the stag on the jaw. Sirius looked back to Hermione. "You know, you're going to have to keep this a secret."

"Of course." Hermione said. "I don't want you numbskulls to end up in Azkaban for not registering your Animagi forms. Besides, without you, I'd feel even _worse_ for Remus."

"We'll have to tell him you know. He's been a nervous wreck since James told us he thought you knew about me." He sighed.

"How bad do you think he'll freak out?" Hermione asked.

"At first? He may go into a panic attack. Once we calm him down, though, he'll likely be fine." Sirius told her. "After all, it's just you."

"What do you mean, just me?" Hermione huffed, reaching over and scratching Prongs behind the ear. She needed the comfort of touching something, and Prongs didn't seem to mind. He closed his eyes and leaned his head into Hermione's hand.

"I mean, you're a Potter. You're family. If you haven't figured it out yet, Remus is pretty much a brother to us."

"Which means he'll end up seeing me as a sister or cousin?" Hermione asked.

"With how much time you two have spent in the library this summer, I'd say you're well on your way to being accepted as his sister." Sirius chuckled. Hermione nodded, a smile on her face. Her mind was at ease for once. She let her hand drop and Prongs trotted back to the spot he'd claimed earlier, lying down and looking up at the sky. Sirius looked Hermione over; for all his talk of her being family, he sure didn't _look_ at her like she was. No, there was something deeper in his eyes, and it made Hermione feel odd. It gave her butterflies in her stomach but also set off alarms in her head. She couldn't do this. Sirius brushed a stray hair off of her face, then turned away from her, changing into Padfoot once more. He trotted happily over to Prongs, leaving a space between them for Hermione. She smiled when Prongs looked back over his shoulder at, as if to say, "Are you coming?"

She padded over to the two animals, plopping down between them, leaning against Prongs' back. Padfoot scooted closer and Hermione's hand found its way into his long black fur.

They sat there like that for most of the night. Hermione ended up dozing off in the wee hours of the morning, only to find herself in her bed the next morning, the smell of grass and wildflowers still clinging to her hair and clothes.


	8. Where Dwell the Brave at Heart

**_A/N: Gasp! Two in one day? What is this sorcery? S/O to Spook and Betty, my personal DJs and muses for this chapter._**

 ** _EDIT: A reader noticed some indescrepancies with the Head Boy and Girl in chapter 9 so I cam back to fix it cause I like that pair better._**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 18, 1976 London, England - Diagon Alley_

Hermione stuck close to Sirius and James as they made their way through the Diagon Alley, towards Flourish and Blotts. Already, she'd gotten quite a few looks from witches and wizards who knew the duo and were surprised to see them accompanying a girl they'd never seen. Euphemia had sent the children on their way with a coin purse, telling the boys to watch out for Hermione, then heading down Knockturn Alley. She'd needed some magical pesticides for the garden that weren't available in Diagon Alley.

Hermione wasn't much concerned about the staring; that had followed her everywhere since she'd befriended Harry. She was more worried about the potential for confrontation. She knew James and Sirius were as protective as it got and all she wanted was to get her things and find Remus without a fight breaking out.

The three made it to the bookstore without incident, but as Hermione gathered her books she heard the unmistakeable sound of Sirius cursing. She sighed, plucking the last book she needed, _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6_ , from the shelf before following the sound of James and Sirius's voices.

She turned the corner to see three boys, dressed in black sneering at James and Sirius, and Sirius with his hand on his wand. Sirius's books were on the ground before him and James had a hand on his shoulder.

"Snivellus, you'd better shove off if you'd like to keep your nose intact." James growled, his own hand on his wand.

"Or what, Potter? It's two against three, and your mum is nowhere in sight, now is she?" Snape said.

"Snape, clear out." Sirius murmured, clearly trying to keep his temper. "Let us be, we've done nothing to you."

"On the contrary, Black, you've teased me relentlessly since first year. I think it's about time I return the favor." He drawled.

"James?" Hermione called, trying to call some attention away from the boys. The three Slytherins turned toward her, eyebrows raised.

"And who's this then?" Snape sneered.

"I'm their cousin, Hermione Potter." She said, holding her books close to her chest. "I'm a transfer student from Beauxbatons. Fifth year."

"Just what the world needs, another Potter." Snape rolled his eyes.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd leave my cousins be, please." Hermione said. "I promised my aunt we'd meet up in half an hour, and if we aren't there, she will come looking. I'll have a hard enough time helping them get all their supplies in order in that time without confrontation." Hermione stood her ground, but found no reason to be impolite about it. Severus Snape may have been a right git to the boys, along with everyone he'd ever taught, but she'd be hard-pressed to resort to foolish name calling when he'd done nothing to her.

"Since you asked so nicely." Snape said, turning back to the boys. " _Levicorpus_." he said, flicking his wand at James and Sirius.

"I'll ask you one time, and one time only." Hermione started calmly. "Let them down, please." Snape turned to see her standing with her wand drawn.

"And what will you do if I -"

" _Locomotor wibbly. Tarantallegra._ " Hermione said, directing her jinxes at each of Snape's henchmen in turn. One boy fell to the ground, his legs giving out. The other began dancing uncontrollably. "You're next. I won't ask again." Hermione nearly growled.

" _Liberacorpus._ " Snape muttered, backing away from the girl. Hermione muttered the two counter-jinxes and the three boys retreated as James and Sirius were dropped to the floor.

"Wow, Hermione. I suppose you really _do_ know you're way around a wand." Sirius said, rubbing the side he'd fallen on.

"I told you, I'm a big girl. I don't know what you two did to deserve that, but it was clearly well-earned." she said.

"You bet it was." Hermione heard a girl's voice behind her. She turned to see a girl with brilliant red hair leaning against the shelf, holding a stack of books. "Potter and Black have tormented Severus since first year. He started fighting back a few years later, though things have rather escalated recently." She said. "I don't believe I've met you. I'm Lily Evans." She said, shifting her books to hold out a hand.

"Hermione Potter. I'm a transfer from Beauxbatons. James and Sirius mentioned you." Hermione said, shaking her hand.

"Oh they did? I expect it was terrible, what they said. Wouldn't believe a word of it." the other girl said, wrinkling up her nose. Hermione chuckled.

"Actually, they just said you were really smart." Hermione told her. Lily blinked once.

"Really? I'd believe it from Potter, but Black?" She said, sounding stunned. Hermione shrugged.

"Who knows? I can barely figure them out half the time. I'd better go help them, though. I'll see you around?" She asked. Hermione hated to admit it, but she missed having girl friends. Her bout of jinx-work had reminded her very much of another fiery redhead and she was longing for someone to talk to who wasn't a hormone-ridden boy. Lily nodded to the girl.

"Yeah, I'll see you." she smiled. When Hermione turned back to the boys, they'd mostly gathered up their books. Hermione helped them find the rest of what they needed so they could be on their way. She paid for their books from the pouch Aunt Euphemia had given her and hurried the boys along; they still needed new ink, quill sets, and robes, and James had wanted to stop by Quality Quidditch Supplies to get some new gloves. She glanced up at the clock behind the cashier and sighed. They'd never be on time to meet Remus.

* * *

 _Later, London, England - The Leaky Cauldron_

Hermione plopped down in a chair beside Remus, letting out a sigh. Remus looked up at her bemusedly.

"Hello to you, too." He chuckled.

"I don't know how you put up with them. It's worse than trying to take care of two toddlers." She sighed.

"We're not _that_ bad." James protested, taking a seat across from Remus.

"Besides," Sirius said, sitting across from Hermione. "Snivellus started it."

"Very mature, Sirius." Remus reprimanded.

"In his defense, we didn't even see him until Sirius's books were on the ground." James said.

"But you should have seen _Hermione_."Sirius said. "Came to our rescue like a proper friend, she did. Used a Jelly-Legs Jinx on Wilkes, and a Dancing Feet Spell on Rosier. It was beautiful."

"Was going to send a Bat-Bogey hex at the git if he didn't let you down." She muttered, a blush tinting her cheeks.

"You what?" Remus asked. "You've been spending too much time with James and Sirius." he said.

"Not like I have much choice." she laughed. Remus allowed that. The waitress came then, and the conversation was lost to ordering. Lyall Lupin and Aunt Euphemia sat a few tables away, allowing the children their privacy while still having supervision. Once their orders were placed, James turned to Hermione.

"What did Evans have to say to you, Hermione? After the spat?" James asked. He'd been too busy talking Sirius down from punching Snape in the face to actually pay attention to Lily, it seemed.

"Just told me you picked on that boy a lot." She shrugged. "Who was he, anyway. She called him Severus, but never mentioned a last name."

"Snape." James said, wrinkling his nose. "He and Evans have been friends for years."

"I think she finally cut ties with him last year, though." Remus pointed out. "Just after O.W.L.s, remember?" James nodded.

"What else did you talk about?" James asked eagerly. Hermione frowned.

"Well, I told her that you and Sirius had mentioned her to me." She said.

"You did?" James asked, hopefully.

"Yeah. She seemed surprised when I told her you two just called her smart." she told them.

"You told her I thought she was smart?" Sirius asked, groaning.

"Yeah, cause you did." Hermione said. She looked at Remus with pleading eyes. The boy laughed and took pity on her.

"James has been pining after Evans since third year. Nearly as long as Sirius has been taking the mickey out of her every chance he got." Remus chuckled. Hermione nodded slowly.

"So, is what I said good, or bad?" she asked.

"Both, it seems." He replied, looking between their friends.

"Boys are confusing." Hermione said, distraughtly.

"Tell me about it." Remus murmured.

* * *

 _August 27, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Headmaster's Office_

"What?" Hermione asked, shocked, looking up at Dumbledore.

"It seems you are no longer bound to the timeline. As such, there is no 'future' to send you to." Dumbledore said, calmly.

"But- then what about the visions? And the headaches? Does this mean I'll never be able to go home?" Hermione asked, beginning to panic a bit.

"Please try to calm down, dear. In theory, this development means that you will no longer physically age, but also, given your headaches and visions, there is a chance that you will have the ability to transport yourself through time without aid of an outside force.

"A word of advice, though, Ms. Granger. Were I you, I'd finish my education before pursuing your own time further. This time is as much your home now as any, and while you risk altering the world you knew, you do not risk losing your life in the process. Perhaps you could even change the world as you knew it for the better?" Dumbledore told her.

Hermione breathed in deeply. She was outside the timeline. She could enjoy her time here, could further her friendships with the boys she'd gotten to know over the course of the last few months, without fear of having to leave them. There was a war coming, but perhaps, with her visions, she could help to save lives? Maybe she could help create a time when her best friend wasn't an orphan? She thought about it long and hard, finally looking up into piercing blue eyes.

"I think you're right, Headmaster. Going back to Hogwarts is the only thing that makes sense. I can't protect anyone if I'm not educated, or worse, if I'm stuck in a dark lab nine stories underground when the war breaks out." She said. "I want to help, in any way I can. I want to save lives." Dumbledore's eyes sparkled at her words.

"Very well." He said. "It seems the Sorting Hat has chosen your house well, Ms. Granger."

"Potter. It's Potter." Hermione said. Dumbledore smiled widely at the girl and nodded again,

"Quite right, I mustn't slip up and ruin a cover story of my own creation, now. Have you had any visions since the last, Ms. Potter?" Dumbledore asked. She shook her head.

"No, just awful nightmares. Sometimes a couple times a week." She shivered. "They're all Muggles, and I can never pick out a date or time, nothing useful. And of course, they never use their names. It's really quite awful." Hermione said, feeling sick at her stomach.

"I'll have Madame Pomfrey know to keep a stock of Dreamless Sleep Potion for you, should you need it. You really shouldn't take it more than three times a week, though." He told her.

"That should be fine. I don't like taking the stuff much, anyway. Only take it if I absolutely need it." Hermione confided. Dumbledore nodded.

"Smart girl. Are there any other concerns you have before the beginning of the school year?" He asked.

"I'll be able to come see you if I have a vision, right?" She asked.

"Of course." He said. "But, should you find me unavailable, Professor McGonagall has been informed in full about your situation. As your Head of House, she will be able help out. I have relieved Mr. Lupin of his prefect duties to keep up appearances that you've never been to Hogwarts. As part of his duties, he's to accompany you to the dorm and inform you of all you need to know, though I'm sure that will take quite a bit of acting on your part." he said, a smirk of mischief in place.

"I've also notified the Head Boy and Girl, Gideon Prewett and Daisy Hookum, about you. One or the other should be round to check on you periodically." Hermione nodded.

"I don't want too much of a fuss, though I know that's asking for a lot for someone in my position." She said. Dumbledore smiled wryly at her.

"People will talk, dear. But you don't have to listen." He told her. She thought that over for a moment, then smiled.

"You're right." she said. "I think I'm all set, sir."

"Very well. You can use the floo to get home. I'll see you soon." He said, watching as she stood to leave. She waved to him before disappearing in a whoosh of green flame.


	9. Screw Your Courage to the Sticking Place

_EDIT: I had some discrepancies with characters in this chapter and chapter 8, so I went back and changed the Head Boy and Girl in chapter 8._

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _September 1, 1976 London, England - Platform 9 ¾_

Hermione stood next to Sirius and James on the platform, checking her list for the fifth time to make sure she had everything. She felt silly, but she was as nervous as a first year all over again. She knew she would see some familiar faces, and that for the most part, her teachers would be the same, but most of the people she'd be sharing the castle with she had no point of reference for. She hadn't grown up with them, like she had the children in her own sixth year; in fact, quite a few of the people she would meet in the next few days would be dead before she was even born. She knew she was likely to be the Harry Potter of this train ride; she'd known that since she'd given her name to three Slytherins and a Gryffindor. With a last name like Potter, it seemed, Hermione couldn't stay out of the spotlight even for a moment. And she was beginning to see what Harry had hated it so much.

Hermione had tried, in the days leading up to their departure, to tell herself that this would be no different than going back to school with Harry and Ron, but she knew it was for naught. Everything was different.

James looked over at Hermione and raised an eyebrow, looking her over.

"You okay, 'Mione?" he asked, handing his trunk up to Sirius on the train. Hermione took a deep breath before replying.

"Yeah. Just nervous." She said to him, forcing a smile. He reached out for her trunk, handing it up to Sirius for him to stow it away with theirs, then smiled at Hermione.

"It won't be too bad. You'll have me and Sirius if things get out of hand. Then there's Remus and Peter. Peter really seemed to like you, you know. And you looked like you got on well with Evans when you talked to her in Diagon Alley. I'm sure you'll have loads of friends." James said. Hermione nodded.

"Yeah, you're probably right. I'm just being silly." She said. She looked around, spotting Aunt Euphemia and Uncle Fleamont talking to an older witch she didn't recognize. Aunt Effie caught her eye and waved her over, noticing the time. Hermione hurried over.

"Hermione, this is Josephine Prewett. Her sons, Gideon and Fabien, are seventh years. Gideon was just made Head Boy, as well. Josephine, this is my niece, Hermione Potter." Hermione nodded at the older woman.

"Pleased to meet you, ma'am." Hermione said, the name ringing a bell.

"So well mannered," Mrs. Prewett praised, her face lighting up. "Not a bit like your Sirius, is she?" she laughed.

"Mum brought me up right. Her family was very proper and she wouldn't have me making a mess of it." Hermione grinned, a note of sadness. The train whistle sounded then, prompting Hermione to give her aunt a brief hug and promising to write before hurrying back to the train.

She found the compartment that she'd left the boys in with relative ease and joined them, smiling when she saw that Remus had joined them, as well.

"Have you seen Peter?" Sirius asked Hermione as she sat down. She shook her head.

"Not yet, no." Hermione told him as the train began moving.

"He's probably just getting some sweets from the trolley." James chuckled. "You know that's a tradition with him." Sirius nodded, sitting back in his seat. Remus had already pulled out a book, and Hermione settled herself deeper into her seat by the window, watching as the train sped away from the city and towards Hogwarts, the one place that she knew would be exactly as she remembered.

* * *

Hermione was awoken by Remus a few hours later. She knew by how low the sun hung in the sky that she really needed to change into her robes, and as she stretched, looking around, she saw that the boys had, already. Peter had found their compartment while Hermione had been asleep, and she looked up at him and smiled.

"Hi, Peter. How were the rest of your hols?" Hermione asked, sleepily.

"They were alright. My birthday party was the highlight though." He smiled. "I still can't get over Remus slapping Sirius when he accidentally played Pin the Tale on the Werewolf with a live subject."

"I'm still not convinced it was an accident." Remus said, crossing his arms over his chest and throwing a glare at Sirius.

"You stick a pin in one bloke's arse and suddenly you're the bad guy." Sirius said, grinning.

"If it'd just been the one, I would have let it slide. But _five times_? Are you serious?" Remus asked.

"Well, I'm sure as hell not Severus." Sirius chortled. Hermione expected James to burst out in a fit of laughter at that, but as she looked about, she noticed he was missing.

"Where's James got to?"She asked. Remus shrugged.

"Went to change into his robes and hasn't been back yet. I suspect he's bumped into Evans and is attempting to woo her again." Remus said, smirking.

"That definitely sounds like James." Hermione grinned, standing and stretching before reaching up to her truck and extracting her uniform. "I'll be back in a minute." She said, slipping out of the made her way down the train to the bathroom, glad for the fresh air.

She changed without incident, then began heading back towards her compartment when she heard her name being called.

"Oi, Potter!" She groaned. She knew that voice. She turned to see Snape striding towards her. "It's rather early in the year to begin making enemies, don't you think? Being new around here, I suppose someone will have to teach you which sort of people are the kind you want to associate with. Here's a tip: your cousins aren't them." he said.

"Thanks, Snape, but I rather think I know how to tell the good sort from the bad." Hermione said, making to turn away.

"So it's true then? You are a blood traitor?" Snape said, clearly trying to get a rise from Hermione. She took a deep breath before rounding on him.

"I detest that word. There is nothing traitorous about embracing one's heritage, and there's nothing demeaning about having Muggle blood. The fact of the matter is, there are far more Muggles on this planet than there are witches and wizards and simple science dictates that in order to survive, we _must_ breed with them. I'm actually rather disgusted that wizard-kind would rather wallow in their own shallow gene pool than be considered a traitor for marrying one of the _millions_ of Muggles we must hide from." Hermione huffed. She relished the stunned look on Snape's pale face as she spun away from him, heading back to her compartment.

"Why you little- _Levi-"_

"I wouldn't, Snape." Hermione heard a voice from behind Snape call. She turned yet again to see a tall redhead, arms crossed over his chest, behind Snape. She could just make out the Head Boy badge gleaming upon his chest. So this was Gideon Prewett.

"Oh sod off, Prewett." Snape spat.

"I'd say the same to you. Let her alone. I'd hate to give you a detention before the feast even begins." He said, a stern look.

"You wouldn't." Snape accused.

"Wouldn't I? Try me." He said, drawing himself up to his full height.

"Whatever, Prewett." He said, turning and storming off past the the older boy. Gideon shook his head as he watched him go, then returned his attention to Hermione.

"You must be Hermione Potter, then." he said, a grin on his face. "I'm Gideon Prewett, Head Boy. Dumbledore told me a bit about you in an addendum to my Head Boy letter. I'm rather surprised Daisy hasn't been round to check on you. She's Head Girl. Hufflepuff, sweetest thing. Anywho, I hear you're in Gryffindor. Any interest in the Quidditch team?" Gideon seemed to skip from one topic to another with an ease that suggested he was used to people either not listening to him, or not caring what he said.

"No, actually I'd prefer to focus on my studies." Hermione said. His face fell a bit.

"Ah, right. Understandable, new curriculum and all. I expect James will try out again this year. That boy has serious skill as a chaser." He said.

"You bet I am." James' voice called from behind Hermione. She's never been so glad to hear his boastful voice. He wrapped an arm over Hermione's shoulder and leaned on her, which had a very comical effect, given she was several inches shorter than him.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear, as it were." Gideon smiled at the boy.

"Of course, Gideon. Isn't that always the way with me?" he asked, mischief in his eyes.

"Quite." Gideon snorted. "Do try to stay out of trouble this year, won't you? I'd rather not repeat the exploding cauldron debacle of '74." Gideon said, shuddering. Hermione arched a brow at that, then decided she probably didn't want to know. James laughed a little.

"No promises, but we don't have anything huge planned yet, at least not right off." He told the older boy. Gideon nodded. "Well, we're expected back at the compartment." James said.

"Lupin with you? He's supposed to help Hermione here get around the castle." He asked. James chuckled.

"And since when have you known me _not_ to ride with Sirius and Remus, Gideon?" he asked. The other boy allowed that.

"Alright, get along, then. I expect we'll arrive shortly." He said to the two. He looked to Hermione once more. "It was a pleasure meeting you." He said with a smile.

"Likewise." Hermione said, smiling. She wasn't entirely sure she liked him, but she surely didn't _dislike_ him, either.

James lead her away and back to their compartment. As soon as she was inside she sank into her seat with a long sigh. Remus looked up at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Rough time of it?" He chuckled.

"Ran into Snape." she muttered. That caught the attention of Sirius, Peter, and James, too.

"Really? I just saw Gideon Prewett floundering over you and thought I'd step in." James said. Hermione nodded.

"Yes, I ran into Snape, he and I exchanged some words. He called me a blood traitor, I gave him up the road, turned my back on him to leave and Prewett called him out before he could curse me." she relayed.

"So Prewett saved you from Snape, and James saved you from Prewett." Sirius said, a laugh in his tone.

"Something like that." She said, standing again to store her street clothes in her trunk.

"You need to slow down on the adventures. At this rate, your year will be more interesting than ours." James said. "And I don't know if you've heard, but we've had some pretty interesting years."

"Between Remus's erm, furry little problem and what I could deduce about the 'exploding cauldron debacle of '74', I think you can leave me out of your version of an _interesting_ year." Hermione said.

"How'd you hear about '74? Man, that was a good year. So many pranks." Sirius said.

"Prewett brought it up." Hermione said. Sirius giggled.

"Ah, yes, he would know. He was the welp that landed us in detention. Pour timing on our part." Sirius shook his head.

"The train is slowing, we must be arriving." Remus said. Hermione got butterflies in her stomach again. "Stick with me, Hermione. Leave your trunk, it'll be sent up to your room." Hermione nodded, ensuring she had her wand, and straightening her robes once more before she filed out of the compartment with the boys.

She could see Hogwarts on the hill in the distance, her home away from home seeming more welcoming than ever. Remus led her to the thestral-driven carriages, where he helped her in and the Peter, James, and Sirius piled in after them, closing the door. Hermione's nerves eased a bit as James and Sirius began casually talking about Quidditch and ideas for pranks, while Remus briefed her on all the first-year knowledge she'd need to know. Hermione wasn't paying attention to Remus's words, just his voice, and the quiet chatter in the carriage. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she looked out the window, towards the looming shape of the Hogwarts Castle.

She was home. The rest would come in time.


	10. Seeker

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money off this fic._

* * *

 _September 1, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

Hermione sunk into the chair by the fire, a familiar sense of peace coming over her. She recalled her days as a first year, when she'd stuck to the common room and the library to avoid being called names. In those days, at least early on, Harry and Ron weren't very good friends, and she'd spent a lot of time in the first floor girl's bathroom, crying.

She knew this year would not be like that. She had James and Sirius to make sure of that. Hermione didn't want to repeat the experience of a fighting off a mountain troll with nothing more than a levitation spell. From what she knew of James and Sirius, that was just the sort of thing that would give them a thrill. No, she'd much prefer to study in the library, keep her head down, and read up on time as much as she could get away with without being conspicuous.

However, Dumbledore, in an attempt to help Hermione blend in, had only made her stand out by recognizing her in the opening feast. Facing hundreds of curious faces and hearing the whispers about her in the quiet room had been the opposite of helpful. Hermione was just glad that the boys around her, as well as Lily Evans and Gideon Prewett, threw glares at anyone who attempted to talk badly of her to them. It gave her hope that she could actually figure out how to make the best of her last two years, trapped in another time.

Sirius sat down beside her in the common room, then, pulling her out of her head.

"You know, I'm really glad you're a Gryffindor." he said. She looked up at him with a half smile.

"Why's that?" She asked. He shrugged.

"Got used to seeing you everyday." he said. "I don't think it'd be the same if we were different houses. Usually families that get split up- they don't talk after a while." he sighed.

"Like you and your brother?" Hermione asked. Sirius looked up at her, confused as to how she knew.

"James told me," She said. She'd talked to James about a lot, actually. She was surprised how much he opened up to her.

"Damn it. He never knows when to shut his sodding trap about me," He swore angrily.

"He just cares about you, Sirius." She told him.

"Sometimes I wish he'd care a little less." the boy sulked.

"What's so bad about me knowing you and your brother had a falling out? I'm family, remember? Besides, from what you've told me about my lovely Aunt Walburga, I'm sure every pureblood worth their salt knows, anyway." Hermione scowled. She had a mental image of the portrait of Walburga which hung in the hall at Grimmauld place and she had to repress a shudder.

"I suppose nothing." Sirius said, still sulking a bit.

"Then cheer up. Besides, he can't possibly be that bad." Hermione said, giving him a small smile.

"Oh, he's my father made over." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Just wait, you'll meet him, I'm sure."

Hermione knew it was inevitable that she met Regulus, but she hoped it wouldn't be soon. She'd heard nothing good of the boy, but she pitied Sirius for having no family other than the Potters and her. A tinge of worry settled in her mind regarding Regulus, but she couldn't quite place it. Something felt off to her about the Black brothers. She shook her head to clear it. There was no use worrying over something she couldn't place. She stood, stretching.

"I'm headed to bed. I'll see you in the morning." She told Sirius.

"Good night, Hermione." Sirius said, seemingly lost in thought as he stared at the fire. She frowned a little, but shrugged it off and made her way up to her room.

The other girls were already there, getting ready for bed, or already asleep. Hermione sat on her bed, just as Lily Evans came out of the bathroom.

"Oh! So you are rooming with us then?" Lily said, smiling at Hermione.

"Yeah, suppose I am." Hermione said, warmly. She was surprised how easily Lily accepted her. It was as effortless as breathing for the other girl, it seemed.

"Well, as you know, Hermione, I'm Lily." She started, then started pointing around the room. "That's Emmaline Vance, best Seeker Gryffindor's had in years." Emmaline nodded to Hermione as she looked up at her. "Mary MacDonald, girl's got a knack for Charms and a bit of a crush on Sirius Black."

"I do not!" Mary protested, but Lily just chuckled.

"And Greta Catchlove, she's asleep, just there." Lily pointed at the bed with the drawn curtains.

"Nice to meet you all." Hermione said to the two other girls. They smiled at her and Hermione began preparing for bed. Classes wouldn't start until Monday, but she'd had a long day. She needed the rest.

Reaching into her trunk, she pulled out her sleep clothes, along with a new bottle of Dreamless Sleep Potion Sirius had given her before they left Wimbourne. She changed in the bathroom after washing up, and took the potion in the bathroom as well, away from the prying eyes of her roommates.

She slipped out of the bathroom and readied her outfit for the next morning, slipping the potion back into her trunk in the process. Finally, exhausted, Hermione crawled into her bed, drawing her curtains around her, before drifting to sleep.

* * *

 _September 10, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - The Hospital Wing_

Hermione, James, Sirius, and Peter sat around Remus's bed, filling him in on what he'd missed in classes. Hermione hated that his 'furry little problem', as the boys called it, had pulled him away from the first full week of class. She'd taken excellent notes, as usual, and had even gone so far as to copy them for Remus.

She was surprised, actually, how many N.E.W.T. classes she shared with the boys. The five of them took Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Charms together, but only James and Sirius took Potions with Hermione. Similarly, Remus was the only one to take Astronomy with Hermione. The only class Remus had without Hermione was Herbology, which he took with James.

James and Sirius were more than happy to let Hermione copy Remus's notes, as it appeared they rarely took notes themselves. McGonagall called on them often, and thought they nearly always got the answers correct, it didn't keep them from making jokes and sniggering at the expense of some poor soul.

"So, how's the new Defense professor? Just as dreadful as last year's?" Remus asked, flipping through Hermione's notes for that class.

"Sabine's his name. Ex-Auror. Seems a bit off his rocker to me." James said.

"He's a bit out there, yeah." Sirius muttered. "Think the stress got to 'im, personally. Why else would you retire at thirty?"

"Maybe he had an injury?" Peter suggested. "He does sort of favor his left hand." James shrugged.

"I think he's alright, regardless. Hasn't given us homework once yet!" he exclaimed.

"Bit odd to not have homework in a N.E.W.T. class, isn't it?" Remus said. Sirius shrugged.

"He prefers hands-on stuff. It's mostly been a revision on stunners and Disarming Charms. All practical, hardly anything new yet." Sirius told him.

"Can't say the same for Charms, though. Flitwick's been having us turn vinegar into wine." Hermione said. "Non-verbals are coming soon, in every class."

"I think they plot against us, really." Sirius said.

"'Plot against us?' Honestly, Sirius, they're teachers! They're trying to help us!" Hermione said.

"Doesn't mean they can't gang up on us and hit us with non-verbals all at the same time." Sirius said.

"If I were a teacher, I'd think it would be extremely helpful if my colleagues could go over similar course material at the same time, Sirius." Remus pointed out.

"Yes, well, as a student, it just means doing the same monotonous course work in three separate classes." he yawned, stretching. "I'm gonna hit the hay. I'll see you tomorrow, yeah, Moony?" Sirius said, standing.

"Yeah, I should be good to come back to the room tomorrow." Remus said.

"I should go, too. Fabien is holding Quidditch trials tomorrow." James sighed, standing as well.

"Already? He's not wasting any time as Captain, is he?" Sirius asked.

"Seems not." James said, looking at the two still sitting. "Coming, Peter? Hermione?" Peter stood at once, but Hermione shook her head.

"I'm gonna stay a bit longer. I wanted to go over some Astronomy homework." Hermione said. The other boys nodded.

"Sure you can make it up the stairs alright? There's a few more here than at home." James said, half joking, though his eyes were serious.

"I'll be fine." Hermione said, making eye contact with first James, then Sirius. "If I'm not back in an hour, then worry." She told them, attempting to lighten the mood with a small smile. They both nodded once, completely serious, then turned and quit the ward, Peter in tow. Hermione sighed.

"Something tells me this isn't about Astronomy homework." Remus said, looking Hermione over. She giggled.

"I'm just glad the others aren't as perceptive as you." Hermione said, smiling.

"I wouldn't be so sure." Remus countered. "Sirius and James are many things, but dense is not one of them."

"They sure act like it sometimes." Hermione muttered. "I just wanted to talk to you face to face. I know that they told you I know about this-" Hermione gestured to his bed and the ward in general, "but I wanted to actually talk to you about it."

"There's nothing to say, 'Mione." He said. "I am what I am, and you know about it. Considering you're still my friend, and can stand to be around me, there's not much more to discuss."

"I just feel so bad about not being able to help you more." She said. "Collecting notes and assignments is all well and good, but I just wish I could do _something_ more to help you. Like the boys." Hermione sighed. She looked down, but then felt a hand on her shoulder.

"Hermione, I protested James, Sirius, and Peter doing what they did for months last year. It helped, but if something were to happen to one of them because of me-" Remus said.

"You'd never forgive yourself. I know. I just- I feel so useless. In this and in life these days. It's like I'm a spectator instead of on the Quidditch pitch." Hermione said. Remus cracked a half smile.

"Didn't peg you for one to _want_ to be on the pitch," Remus chuckled.

"On a real one, no way. But the _metaphorical_ pitch, you know, life?" Hermione sighed once more. "Maybe I'm just being too introspective, too philosophical."

"No, I don't think you are. So what's keeping you from quitting the stands and hopping on a broom?" Remus asked.

"I don't know what position to play." Hermione said. "James, he's a Chaser, through and through, all about the action and achieving the goals he sets for himself. Sirius is a Beater. Fiercely protective of his friends, and will bloody a nose in a heartbeat. You, Remus. You're a Keeper. You make sure that, even if one of the others slips up, the team doesn't fail because of it."

"And Peter? What's he?" Remus asked. Hermione frowned.

"One would think, given the relationship the four of you have, that he'd be a Seeker, always on the lookout, with his eyes on the prize. And I think that's the role he tries to play, but can I be honest?" Hermione asked, looking to Remus. He nodded.

"Peter is stuck in the crowd, too. He follows the path of least resistance and does what he must to be accepted by the popular people. He doesn't think for himself, he thinks with the herd. I've seen far too many people with that mentality. I can recognize it from a mile away." She told him. Remus nodded, solemnly.

"Hermione, based on what you just told me, I think I know where you fit." Remus smiled. She raised an eyebrow. "You're right, Peter is more of a groupie, he always has been. James and Sirius bonded a lot in first year, and they stood up for him after Lucius Malfoy, a Slytherin, decided he was a prime target for bullying. He's stuck to them ever since. Anyone who can read into that sort of thing after about a week around Peter has the eye on a Seeker, if I ever saw one."

"You think?" Hermione asked.

"I know. Think about it, Hermione. How often do you hang back and watch how things play out? You see the bigger picture, and your planning is impeccable." Remus smiled. "I know James had a theory about you being a Seer, and no matter the validity of that, there's no doubt in my mind that that's where you fit. But if you don't think so, it's your life. Make it what you want it to be." Hermione grinned broadly at him.

"No, I think you're right. I think I'd fit quite well in that role." She said. "I knew you'd understand. James hates when I talk in metaphors."

"It's cause he doesn't understand poetry." Remus shrugged. "Says people should say what they mean and mean what they say. Sirius is the better bet when it comes to that stuff."

"Really? I didn't take Sirius for someone interested in poetry." Hermione said. Remus grinned.

"You didn't hear it from me, but try quoting some Shakespeare around him sometime. You'll be surprised." Remus winked. Hermione giggled.

"I'll do that. But I'd better get going before they send out a search party. I'll see you tomorrow?" Hermione asked, standing and hugging her friend.

"I'll be at breakfast." He said. "Be careful on the stairs, yeah?" He told her.

"I will. Night." She said, waving as she turned on her heel and left the Hospital Wing.

* * *

Hermione found herself on the third floor corridor, do to a rather inconvenient staircase which decided it wanted to move while she climbed it. She was a little annoyed, but having dealt with situations like this for the past five years, Hermione knew a shortcut that would get her to the seventh floor landing, and into the common room, in no time.

That is, until the her vision began to swim and she had to reach out to a statue to keep herself from falling over. Her vision went black, then came back into focus.

 _She was no longer in Hogwarts, but rather in a stately mansion, dimly lit as though by a fireplace. Two men stood in front of a seated man._

" _Well, Abraxas, what has your son discovered?" the seated man, Voldemort, said._

" _Lucius was in Hogsmeade during the first weekend Hogwarts students were allowed down. He asked around, Avery and Snape, two of his contacts, Death Eater hopefuls, came forward. The child's name is Potter. Hermione Potter. They say she's smart, but standoffish."_

" _What house?" Voldemort demanded._

" _Gryffindor, sir. According to Lucius, Snape tried to extend an olive branch to see if she could be persuaded to our cause. She refused."_

" _Then she's a threat." the cold voice came._

And just like that her vision blacked out again, only to return to her a moment later. She was clutching the statue with white knuckles, her heart beating fast. She heard footsteps then, and attempted to straighten up, but ended up falling over instead.

"Hermione?" She heard the voice say. She breathed a sigh of relief. It was Gideon. She looked up at him, her head feeling funny. "Are you alright? Do you need to go to the hospi-" Gideon asked, kneeling beside her. She shook her head.

"No, I'm fine, I just need sleep. Could you help me to the tower?" She said, trying to stand. Gideon immediately wrapped a strong arm around her, helping her stand. He kept one arm about her waist as they began walking, taking the shortcut Hermione had been heading towards earlier.

Before long, they were back in the common room, and Hermione was able to walk on her own. However, Gideon wouldn't let her go that easily.

"What happened back there, Hermione?" he asked.

"I get spells of vertigo sometimes. It's usually not a huge problem, that was the worst attack I've had in awhile." She explained. He nodded.

"I don't want you walking alone, especially at night. If you need someone, I'll be more than happy to have a prefect-"

"I understand your concern, Gideon," She interrupted, "but I'm fine. Tonight was an isolated event. It won't happen again." _I hope._ She added, mentally. "Now if you'll excuse me, I really should get some rest."

Hermione extracted herself from the man's grasp and headed upstairs. The other girls were all seemingly asleep, and so Hermione changed, then took her potion from the drawer and gulped down a bit. She quietly replaced the potion, and lay down. She didn't notice the open curtains around the bed next to her, and she certainly wouldn't imagine that its occupant would pretend to be asleep just to watch her surroundings.


	11. House Elves

**_A/N: I'm so sorry it's taken me this long to update. I had severe writer's block for this story and haven't been able to formulate words. I'll try to update sooner, but I make no promises._**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _September 14, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

Hermione plopped down at the table in the corner next to Remus and across from Sirius. It was a Tuesday, the day that Sirius like to call her "Hell Day". Double Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and double Ancient Runes meant she was running around with only lunch as a break. Today was especially bad, as Ancient Runes had run over into dinner and she'd needed to ask Professor Babbling something, and by the time Hermione had gotten to the Great Hall from the sixth floor corridor, dinner was over.

Hermione buried her head in her arms on the table until she felt Sirius prod her.

"You think she's still alive?" He asked in a mock whisper.

"I'm sure she is, however I can't say the same for you if you keep poking her like that." Remus said. For emphasis, Sirius prodded her again.

"Yes, Sirius, I'm alive." She said, looking up at him.

"Oh good, I was hoping you were. I really don't think I can eat this food by myself." He said, pulling a platter of sandwiches, snack crackers, and celery with peanut butter from behind his stack of books. Hermione's eyes widened.

"How-?" she asked.

"We know a few of the house elves. They'd do anything for Sirius, I swear." James said.

"And it's your Hell Day. When I didn't see you at dinner, I knew you probably wouldn't eat tonight if I didn't." Sirius said.

"And Mum would kill us both if she found out we let you go without eating."

" _When_ she found out." Sirius corrected. "Let's face it, there's not much we do that we can hide from your mother." Hermione giggled at that, taking one of the sandwiches from the platter.

"Well, thank you, whatever your motivation." Hermione told them, feeling a little better and relaxing into her seat.

"So do you want to ask her now?" Sirius asked Remus and James. Hermione arched her brow at the question. Remus sighed.

"Well, I suppose we might as well, now." Remus said. "What are you wanting to do for your birthday, Hermione?" Hermione blinked. She'd told James her birthday when he'd asked her about it during Peter's party, but she hadn't expected for him, or any of them, to remember it, nor make a big deal of it. But then, she supposed, they always did the opposite of what she expected.

"I was just going to study some." Hermione shrugged.

"On a Sunday? You're going to study on a Sunday, that also happens to be your birthday?" James asked. Hermione nodded.

"It's what I do every year." She said.

"Did you have no friends in Beauxbatons?" Sirius asked, incredulously. She went quiet. She missed her friends terribly. Harry, Ron, Ginny, Neville, even Luna. She looked down, and Hermione vaguely registered James elbowing Sirius in the side.

"I had a few. None like you lot, though." Hermione said quietly. She meant it. The dynamic James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had was entirely different from what she knew with Ron and Harry. Granted, Harry and Ron had become like brothers to her in the same way that she was beginning to view the boys, but they all had very distinct personality differences. Harry was much softer-spoken than his father, far less rambunctious than Sirius, and far less studious than Remus. He was a lot like his mother. Quiet, opinionated, and held his ground no matter what.

"Besides," Hermione added with a smile, "You lot are family, remember?" Sirius and James shared a grin and Remus chuckled under his breath.

"So if we were to- erm, plan something. Say, a party-?" Sirius asked.

"I'll be there. Just nothing too much, alright? If Remus says no, _listen._ " Hermione said, finishing off one last sandwich and standing. "I'm going to bed. Do try to behave, won't you?" She sighed with a smile.

They bid her goodnight and she trudged up to her bed, quietly.

* * *

 _September 19, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Seventh Floor Corridor_

"Just a little further, now." Sirius told her, his hands on her waist. Hermione was trying her hardest not to blush at the contact, even while doing her best not to trip. And she stumbled over her own feet and Sirius caught her for what felt like the millionth time, she huffed impatiently.

"Can I take this blasted thing off yet? I hate not being able to see." Hermione said, moving her hand to the blindfold, which was just Sirius's tie. Sirius cupped his hand over hers before she could rip the blindfold off.

"Not yet." He said, and she could feel his face quite close to hers. His proximity was unnerving and she nearly tripped again.

"Hermione, stop tripping! You're hard enough to guide blind-folded without my having to catch you every other step." He said.

"Remind me why James sent you after me?" She asked.

"Because he and Peter had to finish setting up, and Remus wouldn't keep a secret." he chuckled.

"Remus? Not keep a secret? What?" She asked, puzzledly.

"Yeah, I wouldn't have blindfolded you." she heard Remus's voice. "Merlin, Padfoot, take it off her."

She felt a swift tug at the back of her head, and suddenly, she could see that she was standing in front of the three other boys. She looked around quickly, trying to discover the reason for secrecy. It _looked_ as though they were standing in a small clearing, quite similar to the one she spent the night in with James and Sirius the month before. But Hermione knew they couldn't be outside; they'd gone up too many flights of stairs to be outside. Realization washed over her as she realized that this must be the Room of Requirement.

"How is this-?" Hermione asked, her brows furrowed. "We're not outside. Where are we?"

"One of our many discoveries about the castle. I'm sure we're not the first, nor the last, but we seem to be the only students to know of the room's existence." James said.

"But how can that be? The castle's a big place, surely _someone_ would have stumbled upon the room?" Hermione asked. She sighed internally at how exhausting it was to keep up appearances of being ignorant. James shrugged, and looked to Remus for an answer.

"As far as I've been able to figure, there's strong magic on the room, concealing it until someone needs it." he said.

"So why did we need a forest?" Hermione asked. Sirius smiled.

"We're all more comfortable here." He said. Hermione frowned. "The night you stayed with me and James out in the woods? You didn't struggle in your sleep. Didn't talk, didn't fight. Nothing like what we've heard from you without a Dreamless Sleep potion. You fell asleep and didn't wake up until the next morning."

Hermione thought that over. To be perfectly honest, she thought that was probably due to Sirius and James being there with her, as opposed to the clearing itself having any sort of positive affect. She liked know the boys were right there with her, it made her feel safe. So if this room would give her that feeling of being safe with the boys, she wouldn't argue it.

"So what's that behind you?" She asked James, Remus, and Peter.

"Oh this?" James asked, moving aside to reveal a table laden with food, butterbeer, and a cake. Hermione gasped.

"House elves?" she asked, turning to Sirius.

"They really _will_ do anything for me, it seems." He chuckled. Hermione hugged him suddenly, and it took a second for Sirius to register it before he hugged her back. She could feel him smile though, once he figured out what was going on.

"Oi," James said, "He wasn't the only one in on this, you know. Moony and I slaved over this idea for _days_." Hermione extracted herself from Sirius and launched herself at James.

"Thank you for being the best cousin ever." She said.

"Hmph. I thought that title belonged to _me._ " Sirius pouted.

"Honestly, I can't make the two of you happy." Hermione said, moving to hug Remus and Peter in turn.

"Sure you can," James said, "Just only one of us at a time." Hermione giggled at that, then grabbed a plate and started to pick out what she wanted to eat.

* * *

Hermione and the boys stayed the night in the Room of Requirement. When they got tired, the room supplied hammocks suspended between the trees. Remus, James, and Peter had drifted off one by one, leaving Hermione and Sirius alone, sipping butterbeer beside a fire pit set into the floor of the room. They sat quietly for a long time after Remus finally slipped off to bed. Hermione sat rather close to Sirius, and though she was extremely aware of his proximity, it was a comfortable closeness that both seemed to enjoy.

"Thank you." Hermione said suddenly. "For all this. You and James have been amazing to me since I got here. I really don't know what I would have done without you. And Remus and Peter- I don't know if it's just because they're your friends and I'm your cousin-"

"It's not, love." Sirius said, looking over at her, a small smile on his face. "If Remus didn't like you, you'd know it. Likewise, if James and I didn't like you, you'd know it. It's not because you're our cousin." he chuckled. Hermione smiled a bit, then leaned her head on his shoulder. He slipped an arm around her waist, holding her to him. She sighed.

"I've never been accepted this easily before. At least, not by people who weren't swayed by my family name, and my money. It seems even in France, the Potter and Black names do a lot for status." she said. _There, that little fabrication should hold._ Hermione thought.

"The Potter and the Black names shouldn't define you. You're nothing like the Blacks, believe me. As for the Potters, well. You seem to be more like Fleamont than Charlus. And for that I'm grateful." He told her. Hermione frowned.

"Why is that a good thing? I don't know much about Granddad. He passed when I was young. Dad never liked to talk about him, much, either." She told him.

"Charlus was known in the Potter line for being a Slytherin. That's how he got to know Dorea. It was the source of many family fights, culminating in Charlus and Dorea fleeing the country when Fleamont was elected to the Wizengamot. The rumor amongst the family is that they were Death Eaters, and Fleamont found out. Charlus took his money and his work with him and they never looked back. Word floated back every now and again, Charlus and Dorea had a son, a new Potter. They'd heard they'd named him Oberon, in accordance to Black family tradition, naming children after celestial beings, but that was all that was known. You weren't even on the family tree, to my knowledge." he said.

"Dad was quite insistent that we needed no part in any family affairs. I'd often ask about his family, but he just told me that Mum and I were his family. We spent quite a lot of time with Mum's family. They're all Muggles, though." she told him.

"I'm quite curious, though." Sirius said, looking her over. "How did they pick your name?" Hermione's eyes lit up. She'd actually come up with this cover story some time ago.

"Mum and Dad were avid theatre fans. Both adored Shakespeare, and it so happened, their names were also characters in Shakespearean plays. I think they felt the need to start their own tradition, so they named me after a character in _The Winter's Tale._ "

"'I think there is not in the world either malice or matter to alter it.' That was quite the play." Sirius told her.

"I've only ever read it. ' _Exit, pursued by a bear._ ' is by far my favorite stage direction of all time." Hermione giggled.

"You've _got_ to see it on a stage." Sirius chuckled. "My favorite Shakespeare is Hamlet." he confided.

"Are you but mad north-north-west?" She giggled, raising an eyebrow at him.

"Aye, but when the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw." he chuckled.

"Something is rotten in the state of Denmark. Would you two _please_ _go to bed_?" Remus called from his hammock. That threw the pair into a fit of giggles. It took them a few minutes to calm down before they were able to stand up to head to their hammocks.

Hermione was suddenly nervous. What if she couldn't sleep? What if she could, and had nightmares all night? She didn't want the boys hearing all her excruciating nightmares. She didn't want them to worry, and, more importantly, she didn't want them to _find out._

Her thoughts were interrupted by Sirius slipping something into her hand. She looked down; it was a Dreamless Sleep Potion. She could have kissed him. As if was, she threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back, chuckling softly.

"Sleep well, alright, love?" Sirius said, extracting himself from her embrace and moving to his hammock. Once he was safely in it, Hermione knocked back some of her potion and left it on the table that had been filled with food earlier in the evening. She climbed into her hammock, grateful for an evening full of laughter and light instead of stress and worry.


	12. The First

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _October 1, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory_

"Pads, if you don't sit down, I will hex you six ways to Sunday." James muttered, looking up from _The Daily Prophet_.

"How can I sit down? I'm a nervous wreck!" Sirius exclaimed. He was pacing the floor between his and James's beds anxiously, wringing his hands and murmuring to himself unintelligibly.

"I've never seen you get this hung up on asking any _other_ girl out, Padfoot." Remus mused, looking up from his desk.

"Yes, well, she's _not_ any other girl, now, is she, Mooney?" he barked.

"No, she's your cousin." James said.

"I don't think matters much, given the Blacks' track record." Remus said, then ducked as Sirius sent a book flying at him. "I'm just saying, Pads. I don't think anyone with think anything of it. It's not as though you aren't related to twenty or so other families, too. You're related to half the school. That's how it is when you're a pureblood."

"But what will _she_ think? She's not been around many purebloods. Hell, from how she was talking, she was practically raised as a Muggleborn." Sirius began pacing again.

"The only way to find out is to ask her, you know. You could ask her to the first Hogsmeade trip. It's coming up, you know." James said.

"How am I gonna pull that off?" Sirius asked.

"I've got an idea or two." Remus grinned. Sirius looked up at him, a little stunned. He glanced over at James, who looked equally stunned.

"You ever known Mooney to give advice about girls, Prongs?" Sirius asked.

"Never." James answered. Remus sighed shaking his head.

"When's the last time Hermione stayed up late to talk to one of _you_ dunderheads about boy problems?" Remus chuckled.

"Boy problems? She's having _boy problems_ and didn't tell me?" James asked, hotly,

"And this is why. She really does know you too well. She said she didn't go to you because you'd get mad. And she didn't go to Sirius because- and I'm quoting here - 'because I'm already confused enough without mixing him into this'." Remus said, stretching.

"Mixing me into it is confusing?" Sirius said, his brow creasing. "Who's the other guy?"

"Gideon Prewett." Remus said, "Been walking her to class recently, he's asked her out a few times already, but she's turned him down. Ironically, for us. She asked me about it shortly after the second time he asked her out. Told her if she ever needed an alibi, not to hesitate to use us."

"Good on you, mate." James said, with a nod. "Prewett's a good bloke, but if Hermione isn't interested, he needs to back off."

"I agree. But Sirius, if you're going to ask her to Hogsmeade, I'd do it soon. Before Gideon has the chance to ask her and force her hand one way or the other." Remus said. Sirius nodded.

"So Mooney, about these plans?" He asked, moving to sit on Remus's bed beside his desk. Remus grinned, turning in his seat.

"I'm glad you asked."

* * *

 _October 22, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Charms Corridor_

Sirius hung back after the end of the N.E.W.T. level Charms class to ask Flitwick a question, something extremely out of character for him. He had a couple reasons for this; the first was he really _was_ having a bit of difficulty with his non verbal charms and was looking for some pointers on things he could be doing wrong. The second, though, was that he knew Hermione was always the last person to leave the class on Fridays, and he'd noticed on Wednesday that Prewett's attempts at walking her to class and waiting for her after them were bearing fruit, and he was becoming quite successful in his endeavours. Sirius had finally worked up enough courage to ask her out this time, and he planned on dissuading Prewett from walking with her anymore, while he was at it.

As Sirius finished packing his things after talking to Flitwick, he noticed Hermione talking to to Gideon just outside the door to the Charms classroom. Hermione was frowning, and Sirius could just make out her words.

"...can't, I've got a fifteen inch essay for Arithmancy, two translations for runes, and a Potions essay to finish by next Tuesday." Hermione said.

"Yeah, these N.E.W.T. classes really take up time, don't they? Well, why don't you come to Slughorn's Halloween masquerade with me?" Gideon asked her, moving closer to her. His heart leapt when she backed away. Sirius grabbed his back and slung it over his shoulder, crossing the classroom quickly, even as he heard Hermione stumble over a response.

"I think- I'm not sure what the boys are doing- and the feast-"

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks." Sirius said with a grin, draping an arm over Hermione's shoulders. She looked up at him, her eyes full of relief.

"Oh, but she'll keep her word." Hermione said with a grin.

"You always do. You were coming with me to Hogsmeade on Halloween, weren't you? I asked you and everything."

"Oh, you're right! Silly me, if I don't write something down I totally forget about it." Hermione said, thanks in her eyes.

"Oh, right then. S'pose you're all tied up. I guess I'll just- erm, see you around." Gideon looked the two of them over, frowning a bit before nodding to Hermione and walking away. She watched him round the corner before she let herself sag visibly.

"Sirius, you're _brilliant_." Hermione said, "I really owe you one for getting me out of that mess."

"Oh you do?" Sirius asked, pulling his arm off her shoulders as they began to make their way back up to Gryffindor Tower.

"Easy, Pads. There's only so much saving my arse counts for in terms of repayment." Hermione said with a giggle.

"That's unfortunate. I was only going to propose you follow through with our fictitious plans for Halloween and come to Hogsmeade with me." Sirius said, shoving his hands in his pockets and only glancing at her when she didn't respond for a second.

"You mean, with you and the others?" She asked. He shook his head.

"No. James and Peter have detention. And I think Remus was going to Slughorn's party with Evans." Sirius told her.

"Lily? With Remus?" Hermione asked, one eyebrow arched.

"They're going as friends. Evans didn't want to go alone, and Remus had nothing better to do with James and Peter in detention." Sirius explained. Hermione nodded.

"So would this be, um- a date?" Hermione asked, her cheeks flushing. Sirius did his damnedest to play it cool.

"It can be whatever you want it to be, love. No pressure from me. Though I'd love for it to be a date." Sirius said. Hermione was quiet for a few moments.

"Okay." Hermione said. "Yeah, I think I'd like for it to be a date, too." Sirius's heart soared. He grinned broadly.

"Brilliant." Sirius said. Hermione blushed furiously, but grinned widely as well.

"I'll meet you in the common room at 6 then?" He asked her. She nodded.

"Yeah. Sounds good to me." She said, before spotting Lily and some of her other roommates. "I'll see you later, Sirius." She said, waving to him before hurrying to catch up to them. Sirius leaned against the wall, watching the girls go. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked over to see Remus and James standing behind him, Peter not far off. He grinned at them.

"Good job, mate." James said, holding up his Cloak. "We heard it all."

"I'm honestly surprised by how easy that was." Sirius said. "Getting Prewett to back off, that is."

"I _may_ have Confunded him a little." Remus admitted. Sirius burst out laughing.

"So _that_ was why he looked so confused! Mooney, you're brilliant. I really owe you one." Sirius clapped the taller boy on the back.

"Don't mention it. Seriously, don't mention it. I don't need detention like these two dunderheads. What did you do this time, anyway?" Remus asked.

"Spelled Snivellius's underpants pink then put them on display for the whole Quad. Lost thirty points for Gryffindor, but got ten for an 'exemplary use of the Color-Change Charm'" James said, imitating Flitwick's squeaky voice. Sirius laughed and clapped his mate on the back.

"Nice one. Also, made convincing her loads easier, in my book." Sirius said.

"Yeah, now you've just got to follow through." Peter piped up.

"Yeah, that's the hard part." Sirius sighed. He looked up to where the girls had gathered round a bench. Hermione happened to be looking at him at that very moment and smiled at him across the hall. His heart melted as he smiled back.

"Ah." James crooned, "Young love." Then he dodged a smack to the head.

* * *

 _October 31, 1976 Hogsmeade, Scotland - The Three Broomsticks_

Not many Hogwarts students had decided to make the trip down to Hogsmeade that Sunday, as nearly all of them were either attending the feast or Slughorn's event. As such, The Three Broomsticks was quiet, and felt cozier than usual. Sirius and Hermione sat in the back corner, near the fireplace, at a little table. They'd ordered food and sat drinking butterbeer and talking idly.

"You know, Hermione, I'm rather surprised you weren't invited into the Slug Club. Smart pureblood like you, you'd think Slughorn would be all over you." Sirius said, looking her over.

"Oh, I was. I just told him I wanted to wait until after midterms before doing anything extracurricular. To ensure I could keep up with the course work." Hermione told him. Sirius's face fell.

"So then you _are_ part of that mess then?" He sighed.

"Why are you so against it, Sirius?" she asked, frowning at him.

"It's just- stupid. That's why." he claimed, shifting in his seat. She examined him, her eyes narrowing for a moment before widening again.

"It's Regulus, isn't it?" She said softly, her hand moving to cover his hand. He nodded. He wasn't sure how she knew so damn much about him, especially when he couldn't quite figure it out himself sometimes. "Sirius, he's still your brother. He's still your family."

"No, Hermione, you don't understand. He's the _definition_ of Slytherin. The perfect Heir to the House of Black. He is the antithesis of all I am." Sirius explained to her.

"Perhaps he's just doing what he must to get by, Sirius. I've not met Regulus, but I've met several witches and wizards who were the sons and daughters of Dark wizards back in France. The vast majority of them had _no choice._ You rebelled, and look what happened. Where would you be if Aunt Effie hadn't taken you in?" She snapped.

"I'd be at Hogwarts. I tried talking to Reg. Tried to get him to see my side, 'Mione. He won't listen." He pleaded.

"If he's half as stubborn as you, I'm not surprised. You don't have to be chummy with him, Sirius. But he's still your family. If anything were to happen to you, I'd want you to be able to come to me, even if something happened and we hated each other. Don't you want the same for Regulus?" She asked. Sirius thought that over long and hard. Did he want that? If it came down to Regulus fleeing from the Death Eaters he once envied and trusted, would he want his brother to be able to come to him?

He knew the answer was yes. He loved his brother dearly, and though the past few years had been rough on their relationship, Reg had been his first friend. He'd always been there for him though the pre-Hogwarts years. Sirius nodded.

"Yeah, I get what you're saying, Hermione." He sighed. "I'll make an effort to let him know, no matter what, he can always come to me. Even if he can't go to Mum and Dad. Especially then." Sirius said. Hermione smiled.

"You really are one of the most caring people I know, Sirius." She said. "For all the illusions of aloofness you give off, it's rather nice to know you're just a big teddy bear under all that tall, dark, and handsome exterior."

"You think I'm handsome?" Sirius asked. Hermione giggled.

"Yes, Sirius. I think you're handsome." She said.

"Have I told you you look beautiful tonight?" He asked.

"Only about twice. Once before we even made it out of the common room." She said, rolling her eyes.

"We'll it's true, so I'll say it again. You're absolutely stunning tonight." He said.

"Laying it on thick, are we?" She laughed at him.

"I made you laugh, didn't I? You know that's the sole purpose to most things I do." Sirius told her. She grinned.

"I'm glad I said yes." she said suddenly. "To this." She motioned between the two of them.

"Why's that?" He asked.

"I just realized how much I enjoy watching these walls you put up around yourself come crashing down. It's satisfying and fascinating," Hermione said, studying his face.

"Given time, perhaps I'll get to see those walls of your crumble down, too." Sirius said, his voice lower. He knew that there was a lot about her past that she wasn't telling him. He could practically see the walls behind her eyes, shutting her off from the rest of the world. Pair that with her nightmares, and Sirius knew she _had_ to have secrets.

Hermione merely sighed, looking down. "Yeah. Perhaps."


	13. The Map

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _November 10, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

Sirius and James sat hunched over in their corner of a nearly-empty common room. Sirius's eyes raked the map for Hermione's name while James kept his eyes on the room, making sure no one saw them.

"She's not here, Prongs. I can't see her anywhere." Sirius said, hearing the worry in her own voice. They hadn't seen Hermione since Potions had ended, and that had been nearly two and a half hours before. Dinner was getting close, and the boys had started worrying about her. Remus and Peter had gone to check the library, the surest bet as to where she was, but they'd come up empty and had searched elsewhere in the castle instead. James and Sirius had tracked them through the castle, scouring the map for any sign of her. Peter and Remus were checking the grounds last Sirius had seen, but he was really getting desperate to find her.

"Pads, what if she's in the Room of Requirement? It doesn't show up on the map, remember?" James said, touching Sirius's arm to calm him down a bit.

"James, you're brilliant." Sirius said, getting to his feet. "Wait here for Moony and Wormtail, I'll be back when I find her." he said over his shoulder, bounding across the common room.

"Yeah, yeah, just _find her_." James said, waving him away and collecting the map before heading up to the boy's dormitory. Sirius nearly sprinted out of the portrait hole towards the Room of Requirement.

* * *

Sirius stood before the door to the Room of Requirement, his hand on the knob. He was having an internal debate. Would he be invading her privacy by peaking in? What if it wasn't her? He shook his head to clear it. Hermione was missing, and he was far too worried about her to stay on the other side of the door for much longer. He turned the knob and opened the door gently peeking in.

On the other side of the door, he found a large, open room, lit entirely by candles. There were several large cushions on the floor and two of the walls were covered in mirrors. He scanned the room quickly and his eyes landed on a figure sprawled across the floor. Hermione. He ran to her, kneeling down beside her and pushing her hair from her face. Her eyes were wide, she was pale, and she looked past her unseeing. She was shaking uncontrollably, as if she were sobbing. Her breathing was ragged and as soon as Sirius touched her, she gasped for air as though she had been drowning.

Her eyes focused a bit, searched her surrounds. She frowned, meeting Sirius's gaze.

"Sirius? What-" She gasped in pain again.

"Hermione, we need to get you to Madame Pomfrey." He said, slipping an arm under her head and behind her knees and pulling her to his chest. She placed her hand on his chest, looking up at him.

"No, Dumbledore. I'm fine, medically speaking. I need to talk to Dumbledore."

"What do you need with Dumbledore?" Sirius said frowning. She winced in pain again. "You're obviously hurt, Hermione. I'm taking you to the hospital wing."

"Sirius, it's imperative you take me straight to Dumbledore. If you don't, someone may die." Hermione said. That made Sirius pause for a moment, before lifting her into his arms and hurrying out of the room, headed to the second floor and hoping beyond hope that Dumbledore was in his office.

* * *

"What do you mean, I have to leave? I found her thrashing on the floor, writhing in pain, and brought her straight here on her request, despite _every_ instinct to take her directly to Madame Pomfrey, and you expect me to _leave_ _her_ without any information as to what happened?" Sirius fumed. He was surprised that Dumbledore was able to remain calm throughout his tirade.

"Professor, let him stay. He knows a bit about my visions. He and James think I may be a Seer." Hermione said. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at Hermione, his eyes sparkling just a bit. Sirius saw some sort of non-verbal exchange between the two, but he was too worried to register what it could mean.

"Alright, Ms. Potter. Tell us what you saw." Dumbledore said, wordlessly summoning another chair and motioning for Sirius to take a seat next to his cousin. Hermione took a deep breath and Sirius reached across to hold her hand. She smiled a bit at that before beginning.

"They know who I am. I didn't come to you after my last vision because it was late and then I got so caught up in my school work I just didn't remember to come talk to you, Professor. They've known who I am since Halloween, I think. The last vision said they found out during the first Hogsmeade trip. Lucius Malfoy- he was spying for the Dark Lord and giving reports to his father. They know my name and my House, and they deem me a threat." Hermione said, looking down. "This last vision- I was being tortured. I was- somewhere. A manor or large house. They were using the Cruciatus on me, and I could _feel_ it." Sirius tightened his grip on Hermione's hand. He hated that anything could hurt her that badly.

"I see. Hermione, your visions have proven themselves to be susceptible to change. Your vision about the Bones family's murder allowed us to place Aurors with the family and catch the Death Eaters who attempted to kill them. They are now firmly in Azkaban. That being said, we can do the same to help you. I will have the security detail around the school strengthened, and I want you to walk to classes with Mr. Prewett or someone similarly associated with the school or the Order. And, for now, I think it best if you refrain from visits to Hogsmeade."

"The Order?" Sirius asked, looking between the two. The other two shared a look again, before Hermione nodded and Dumbledore settled his gaze on Sirius.

"The Order of the Phoenix, a secret society committed to fighting the Dark wizard who has proclaimed himself as Lord Voldemort. To join, one must be of age-"

"I want to join." Sirius said immediately.

"And out of school. I don't want this war to interfere with education."

"It's _already_ interfering with my education, sir. My cousin has already been targeted, and they're targeting her _again_. This is my family they're messing with. I'm of age, just turned seventeen a week ago. I don't care if all I do right now is help protect Hermione, walk her to class, whatever. I want to fight, and I will just be joining the Order when I'm out of school, anyway." Sirius protested. Dumbledore looked him over.

"I do believe she would be safe with you, Mr. Black. Especially if Mr. Potter and Mr. Lupin are involved. I will allow you to join the Order as a student member, as well as the other boys when they turn of age, if they want. However, your primary mission will be guarding Ms. Potter. You won't be able to attend meetings until after you graduate, though. Am I clear?" Dumbledore said.

"Crystal." Sirius said, nodding once.

"Very good. Now, I believe we should get Ms. Potter to Madame Pomfrey. I believe she has a potion which can help with the residual effects of the Cruciatus, whether inflicted physically or otherwise. Mr. Black, would you please escort her down?" Dumbledore asked, pulling a sheet of parchment from his desk and scribbling something on it quickly. "Give this to her when you get there and you should be squared away in no time. I'll have the house elves send some dinner to your common room, as well." Dumbledore said, handing the note to Sirius. He turned to Hermione.

"Think you can walk? You can lean on me all you want, but I think you should try and move around a bit." Sirius said, holding his hand out to her. Hermione took a moment to assess herself, then nodded, taking his hand and letting him let her up. She thanked Dumbledore before the couple left the room, Hermione leaning heavily on Sirius.

* * *

 _That night, Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory_

"She _what_?" James asked for the fifth time. The boys were crowded around Sirius on his bed, and Sirius was feeling quite tired. He sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"When I found her, she was on the floor. It's like she was in pain. Her eyes were open wide- it was really scary, seeing her like that." He said, looking down.

"What did you do?" Peter asked, frowning.

"I was going to take her straight to Pomfrey, but she insisted on going to Dumbledore." he shook his head. "Didn't know _why_ she wanted to go to Dumbledore, but she said if she didn't see him immediately, people could die. There's a war going on, so of course I took her at her word. I took her up to Dumbledore." Sirius said.

"Then what?" Remus asked.

"Had to fight to stay there, but Hermione, she did- something. Some sort of non-verbal communication with Dumbledore. Anyway, she got him to let me stay." Sirius said.

"Non-verbal? Well, Dumbledore likely has some training in Legilimency. I wouldn't be surprised if he read her mind." Remus said. "What was said?"

"Hermione had another vision. Two, actually. In the first, Malfoy was spying for You-Know-Who. He was in Hogsmeade, on Halloween. He found out who Hermione is, and she's a target again. The vision she had tonight was of her being tortured. She could feel the Cruciatus curse." Sirius watched James's knuckles whiten as his hands curled into fists, and he heard a low growl from Remus. He'd expected such a strong reaction from Remus and James, what he hadn't anticipated was the furrowed brows and look of legitimate fear on Pete's face.

"Is there anything else?" James asked, through clenched teeth.

"I asked Dumbledore to join the Order. You're parents are in it, I think, Prongs. He wanted Hermione to be walked to class by someone affiliated with the school or the Order. I told him I wanted to fight, so he allowed me to join as a student member. I won't be able to attend meetings until after school, but he said you all were welcome to join when you turn of age, too. He trusts us to protect Hermione."

"The Order of the Phoenix?" Remus asked. Sirius nodded.

"Well, of course we'll join when we come of age!" James exclaimed. "I want to fight. And if the Order can help us protect Hermione, protect our family, I'm in."

"So am I." Remus said, a bit softer. "You lot and my parents are all I've got. I'd give anything for you." The boys looked to Peter, who still looked scared.

"We've gotta keep Hermione safe. If anything happened to her-" Peter said, looking down. "I'm in." Sirius looked the smaller boy over; he'd never seen Peter act so afraid. The boy was generally anxious and jumpy, but the amount of genuine fear present alarmed him. Did Peter know something that they didn't? He looked the boy over once more before nodding to them all.

"So we're in this together?" Sirius asked.

"Of course. We're brothers." James said.

"You're my pack, I wouldn't be able to function each month without you." Remus said, a half smile on his face.

"Together." Peter said, more firmly than Sirius had heard him speak before. James looked Peter over as well, but Remus's grin just broadened and he clapped Peter on the back.

"Then it's decided." Sirius said. "We're going to fight."


	14. Lily

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _November 22, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory_

Hermione sat cross-legged on her bed, homework in her lap, quill to parchment, and an inkpot hovering beside her, just out of the way so as to not topple it. She had been working on her homework in the common room, but apparently it was some Gryffindor's birthday and the whole of the House was celebrating. As it was, that meant her dorm room was empty, and all the better.

Normally she'd be working at her desk, but she didn't _really_ want to be working at all. In fact, she'd begun answering the same question three times, just to stop and stare into space for a bit. She was getting nowhere. What she _wanted_ to do was head down to the library and sneak into the restricted section. She knew Dumbledore would likely give her full access to the time section, should she ask, but she simply didn't want too many questions about why she was looking into time.

Hermione heard the door creak open and jumped when Lily Evans came in, shaken from her reverie. The redhead looked Hermione over with a frown before sitting on her bed, facing Hermione.

"No luck studying?" Lily asked, looking over Hermione's scribbled over parchment. Hermione sighed, placing her quill in the inkpot while she closed her book, placing her parchment in it and setting it on her desk next to her bed. She plucked the inkpot and quill from the air, using a rag she kept beside the bed to dry the quill and capping the inkpot quickly. She added the two objects to the pile on her desk before turning to Lily.

"No. I haven't been able to focus lately." Hermione said, scrubbing a hand down her face.

"Ever think it's because of the nightmares? Or the nights you stay up studying because you don't want to sleep?" Lily asked. Hermione stared at her in wonder. The two of them weren't particularly close, but when you slept in the same room with someone for the span of a few months, you certainly got to know them and their patterns. Hermione hadn't thought Lily had particularly cared one way or the other about her.

"How do you know I have nightmares?" Hermione asked.

"You forgot your silencing charm a few weeks ago." She said, and Hermione turned pale before she added, "Don't worry, I put one up before you got overly loud. You were asleep before any of the other girls got back, anyway. But you have Dreamless Sleep Potion, Hermione, why not use it?"

"How do you know about that?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide. Lily shrugged.

"Saw you take it one night. Had to make sure that's what it really was." Lily said.

"You went snooping through my drawer?" Hermione asked.

"Didn't have to, you just confirmed it for me. You have Dreamless Sleep Potion in your drawer." Lily smiled triumphantly. Hermione couldn't help but smile at that.

"You know, for all that you say you despise James and Sirius, you're a lot like them." Hermione said.

"They're bullies." Lily said, her eyes dropping to the floor and her brows scrunching together.

"I've no doubt that they were at some point. But in the time I've known them, they've been nothing but protective of me." Hermione said.

"They do seem like they've changed. A bit." Lily admitted. "But you're changing the subject. Why don't you use the potion?"

"I don't like the way it makes me feel." Hermione admitted. She had other reasons, too. But that was the easiest to admit.

These days, she _wanted_ to have the nightmares. They were her way of knowing what was happening in the war. She'd been tracking the deaths in the paper, lining them up with her dreams. She'd found that her visions usually came a month or so in advance, but her dreams were closer, usually just two or three days before. She'd begun a journal, tracking her dreams and visions. She hoped that would allow her to follow the pattern, and, eventually, would allow her to control her visions to the point that she could have one on command. That was a ways off, Hermione knew, as she'd first have to be able to control the timing of the visions, but those seemed sporadic at best.

Hermione looked up at Lily, who was searching the girl's face carefully.

"You're hiding something. I see the same look on your face as I saw on Sev- Severus's when he was lying to me about being in league with those Death Eaters. You're not part of that mess, are you?" Lily asked, suspicion and worry evident in her voice.

"No!" Hermione said at once, "If anything, it's the _opposite_. They, the Death Eaters, they killed my family. I've been running from them since but it seems as though they've located me." Hermione said, trying to be as convincing as possible. Based on Lily's face, she was believable enough to pass, but just barely.

"I'm sorry for your loss." Lily said, then cleared her throat and changed the subject. "So I heard you and Black had a date?" she asked. Hermione sighed.

"We did. And it went really well. But- well, nothing else has come of it." Hermione said.

"He walks you to class, doesn't he?" Lily pointed out.

"Yes, but he does that more for my safety than as a romantic gesture. Dumbledore wanted someone to walk me to class as a safety measure, due to Death Eaters being after me. Silly, isn't it?" Hermione smiled a bit.

"So he doesn't try to hold your hand, or any of that?" Lily asked. Hermione shook her head.

"No, he hasn't done any of that. To add to it, Gideon Prewett's back to asking me out every other day. I'm half tempted to accept, if only to keep him from hounding me."

"Prewett's alright, just has a tendency to be excitable. Not unlike James, if you ask me." Lily sighed, and Hermione giggled.

"Is he still going after you?" She asked.

"Every chance he gets. I swear, he's getting more elaborate by the day." Lily groaned.

"How long are you going to keep saying no?" Hermione asked, a knowing smile crossing her face.

"Until at least next year." Lily giggled. "If he's still asking me this time next year, I'll say yes. If only to surprise the utter shite out of him."

"I like the way you think, Lily." Hermione said. "James can be a handful, but I think once he settles down a bit, you'll be able to handle him just fine.

"Are you going to Slughorn's Christmas party? It's in about three weeks. He's talked a lot about you in the dinner parties, but he's said you wouldn't be able to make it to the parties until next term."

"I was thinking about going. Gideon asked me to go with him a few days ago. I don't have anything to wear to it though!"

"Mum sent me a few of my dresses from home, you could look through them if you want? We're about the same size." Lily said.

"You'd let me borrow a dress?" Hermione asked.

"If it means you'll go to the party, of course. You've never been to one; they're dreadful if you don't have a friend in the Slug Club. Sev and I used to go together. He and I-" Lily cut herself off.

"James told me. You two used to be best friends. I'm sorry about whatever happened to end that." Hermione said softly.

"Thanks, Hermione. I think the party this year may actually be fun if you go!"

"Who are you going with?" Hermione asked. She shrugged.

"I think I might ask Remus to go with me again. He made the Halloween party loads better. He's such a nice guy." she said. Hermione nodded.

"How did you become friends with him? Especially given your track record with James and Sirius." Hermione chuckled. Lily shrugged.

"He started studying with me in the library one day during third year. Just sat down at the table with me, suppose it was because all the other tables were full and I was the only person he kinda knew. Sirius and James don't frequent the library on a day to day basis, typically just around tests. So I got used to talking to him about homework and stuff, and I realized he's not as horrible as James and Sirius tend to be. He tries to warn me whenever James has some grand scheme to ask me out." Lily giggled.

"That's Remus, alright." Hermione shook her head. "Surprised James didn't get jealous about the Halloween party."

"Not much he could do, could he? Detention. Besides, Remus told him he doesn't have any romantic interest in me. Can't say the same for Sirius once he finds out about you going with Gideon." Lily said. Hermione groaned.

"Maybe it will make him see sense. Gideon's alright, but if I had the choice between the two, I'd pick Sirius."

"He just needs a swift kick to his arse to see some sense." Lily said with a nod. "Though I don't think there's a chance in hell of you dragging Sirius along to a Slug Club event." Lily said,

"Because Regulus?" Hermione asked, wrinkling her nose up. Lily nodded. "What's he like? I haven't met him but Sirius seems to think he's the worst thing to walk the earth."

"He _is_ rather set in his ways, but I haven't known him to be overly cruel. At least, not alone. It's when he's with the others that he's at his worst. You'll see what I mean at the party."She said. Hermione nodded, checking the time.

"Mind if I study with you and Remus tomorrow in the library? I'm getting nowhere on this Charms essay." Hermione said, hooking a finger over her shoulder towards the homework she'd abandoned earlier. Lily smiled.

"More the merrier. You should get some sleep though. And take that blasted potion. It'll do you some good to have a decent night's sleep, you know." Lily scolded. Hermione just smiled and nodded. It felt good to have a female friend again.

* * *

 _December 3, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

"You're not coming home for the Hols?" James asked, his face falling a bit.

"Sorry, James. I wrote to Aunt Effie already, she said you two are welcome to stay with me. Dumbledore thinks it's for the best if I stay here. More protection, all of that." Hermione said.

"So this has nothing to do with Slughorn's party, then?" Sirius asked.

"Well, I wouldn't say _nothing_." Hermione said. Slughorn's party was to be on the night the Hogwarts express left. Therefore, anyone going to the party would have to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays.

"So the rumors are true? You're going with Prewett?" Sirius asked, his voice accusingly.

"Yes, Sirius, I'm going with Gideon." Hermione said, wincing a bit at his tone and the hurt on his face.

"How could you? We- we're-" Sirius stammered.

" _We_ aren't anything, Sirius. We went on one date two months ago and you haven't even attempted to hold my hand since. You walk me to class for my protection, you barely _look_ at me anymore. You have no claim to me, Sirius Orion Black, so don't you dare try to guilt me out of going to the party." Hermione said. Sirius looked her over, his eyes wide and watery, before he fled the room, heading up to the dormitory.

James watched him go, then turned to Hermione.

"I'd better go check on him in a minute. But Hermione, he really likes you. He just doesn't know how to show you he likes you. You'd be his first serious girlfriend, if you two could get that far. He doesn't really know how the whole thing works yet. So go easy on him, yeah?" James said, with a small smile. Hermione deflated at that. She felt horrible. She wanted to crawl under a rock and just sleep until the end of the Christmas holidays. She sunk into a chair next to Remus, who shot her a sympathetic look.

"Don't beat yourself up over it, 'Mione. Sirius is hard to read, and if he won't talk to you, there's nothing you can do about it. Go to the party. I'll be there. We'll have fun and if Sirius and James stay for the holidays, we'll tell them all about it the next day." Remus said. Hermione smiled a little.

"Yeah. Thanks, Remus." Hermione said, smiling at her friend. "Boys are weird."


	15. The Party

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _December 17, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Girls' Common Room_

"Are you sure Lily? I feel like I look like a flower." Hermione said, running her hands over the red velvet of her dress and pulling at the off-the-shoulder neckline. Lily swatted her hands away and fixed her dress again.

"That's a bad thing? You look _gorgeous_ , Hermione." Lily said. She'd used Sleakeazy's Hair Potion to manage her curls, which Aunt Effie had sent to her by owl when she expressed that she didn't know what to do with her hair. She didn't realize that Harry's grandfather had created the potion she used in her fourth year. She'd have to tell him about that when - _if_ , she reminded herself- she got back to her own time.

Hermione looked Lily over. She'd opted for a three-quarter sleeve white A-line dress with a red satin ribbon around her waist. She wore her hair in a twisted side braid that fell over her shoulder. Hermione looked at her own loose, but tame, curls and decided she _did_ look pretty. Lily had helped with her makeup and before doing her own, and the only thing Hermione lacked was shoes.

"I didn't even _think_ about shoes, Lily!" Hermione said, turning to the other girl.

"Luckily, I did." She said, heading back into their room from the bathroom. Hermione followed her and Lily pulled out a pair of black heels. Hermione liked the style, and the height, but she found one problem.

"I'm not going to be able to fit those." She told Lily. "Your feet are way smaller than mine." Lily laughed.

"Are you a witch or aren't you?" Lily said, grabbing her wand from her bed. " _Engorgio._ " Hermione blushed a little as Lily handed her the shoes that were now perfectly her size.

"Thanks. Lils. I forget about the most simple things, sometimes." Hermione said.

"That's alright. Probably just nerves." Lily said, checking the time. "It's nearly eight, we shouldn't keep the boys waiting. Gideon is to meet you in the common room, yeah?" Hermione nodded before checking herself over once more and grabbing the little black purse that held her wand and a few other necessities. The two girls headed down the stairs together, pausing in the common room before locating their respective dates. Remus had been sitting in an armchair by the fire, with James and Sirius. He stood when he saw the girls come down, smiling at Lily and Hermione. He made his way over to them, leaving behind two shell-shocked boys.

"Lily, Hermione, you're both quite stunning tonight!" Remus said, grinning. He looked quite handsome, himself, though Hermione was almost certain he'd borrowed James or Sirius's dress robes, as the hems were a little short.

"You clean up well, Remus." Hermione said with a smile. He grinned at her and dropped a wink her way, making her think he'd spent entirely too much time with Sirius. Hermione caught sight of Gideon across the room and grinned at him. She noticed his eyes were wide as saucers, and blushed a bit. Gideon joined the other three, nodding to Lily and Remus before turning his attention to Hermione.

"Wow. You're- You look beautiful, Hermione." He told her, making her turn scarlett.

"Thanks, Gideon. You look great, too." She said, meaning it. His dress robes were clean, fit him well, and looked brand new. His longer, bright red hair, usually tousled and wind-swept, was parted neatly on the side.

"Shall we get a move on? We'll be late if we don't hurry." Remus pointed out. Hermione agreed at once and the four of them left the common room, leaving behind James and Sirius as its only other occupants.

* * *

"Did you _see_ James's face?" Hermione asked in an excited whisper in the corner of Slughorn's small office. The boys had gone to get them a drinks, which left the girls to gossip freely for a few moments.

"James's? Did you see _Sirius's_?" Lily asked, equally excited. "He was equal parts stunned and enraged. When he first saw you- there's no doubt in my mind, 'Mione, he really likes you."

"Who really likes her?" Remus asked, sliding up next to them and handing Lily a drink. "And don't worry, Prewett got sidetracked with Slughorn."

"Sirius!" Lily whispered loudly. Remus smirked.

"Of course he does, I could have told you that. He's probably a sulking mess right now with James in the common room. With any luck, James will give him a pep talk and he'll be back to his old self, and doing his best to woo Hermione, by tomorrow." Remus said, nonchalantly. Lily smirked at that.

"And if he doesn't?" She asked. Remus smiled and shook his head.

"Then _I'll_ have to give him the pep talk, and stick my foot up his arse until he gets going. I really prefer the first option, though." He chuckled. Hermione smiled at her friends, but stiffened slightly when she felt someone behind her place a hand on her waist. She looked up to seee it was just Gideon, but she noticed Remus's face harden a bit, his eyes locked on Gideon. His free hand curled into a fist and his jaw clenched. Hermione's brows pulled together slightly at his behaviour; she'd have to ask about it later.

Gideon glanced across the room, noticing someone before returning his attention to the little group.

"Slytherins headed this way, nine o'clock." He said, not making eye contact with any of them, but rather picking a spot in the middle distance. Slughorn's office was small enough that nearly everyone stook shoulder-to-shoulder when walking about, and that was no exception with the approaching Slytherins. Hermione glanced up to see Snape, along with another boy with black hair and grey eyes mingling through the crowd. Snape didn't talk much, merely nodded politely, but the other boy was smiling, and was greeted by several people. Hermione looked away, trying to focus on the conversation Remus and Lily were having, something about the Charms essay assigned over the break.

She suddenly felt claustrophobic, but she wasn't sure if it was her proximity to Gideon or the cramped office, or a combination thereof. She shook her head a little to clear the haze that was beginning to settle over her mind, pulling away from Gideon a bit. She frowned when he pulled her closer, his hand jerking her towards him roughly. She shuffled in place, trying to get her feet under herself properly, but she felt her ankle give way as her heel landed funny. As she tried to catch herself, she toppled sideways, nearly knocking over the boy next to her, before he caught her. Hermione looked up, first at Remus, whose face was a mixture of worry over Hermione, and anger at Gideon for letting her, _making_ her, fall. Then she glanced at Gideon, who looked furiously at the boy who had caught her. Then Hermione looked up at the boy who was attempting to help her stand. It was the same boy she had seen smiling and mingling through the crowd with Snape. He set her up straight, but she nearly fell over again due to her sore ankle. The boy caught her again.

"Seems like you might have sprained it. I can take you to Madame Pomfrey, if you want?" the boy said. Hermione tried putting pressure on her ankle again, tears springing to her eyes at the pain. She nodded, looking to Remus and Lily.

"Thank you for the offer, Black, but I'll take her." Remus said, nodding curtly to the boy.

"Black? You're Regulus, then?" Hermione asked, looking over her shoulder at the boy. He nodded.

"Leave her to her friends, Reg. We've got better things to do." Snape snarled. Regulus looked Hermione over before speaking.

"My offer stands." He said, and Hermione heard something in his voice that told her she would be safe with him. Snape turned up his nose and stalked away, even as Hermione looked back to her friends.

"I'll be alright, Remus. Stay here with Lily, I don't want to ruin your night with a silly sprained ankle that Madame Pomfrey will just wrap up and give me a pain potion for." Hermione said, smiling at him. Remus studied her face carefully, then nodded.

"If you're sure," He said. "We'll come by the Hospital Wing after the party to help you back to the tower, okay?" Hermione nodded, then turned to Regulus.

"Could I lean on you? I don't want to put too much pressure on it." She asked. He chuckled.

"Of course, but I'd take off those death traps you call shoes off I were you, otherwise I'll end up carrying you to Pomfrey." He said. Hermione managed a smile as she leaned on him for support, slipping out of her heels and handing them to Lily.

"Can you explain to Slughorn, Lils?" She asked. The other girl nodded, with a smile.

"Do be careful, won't you?" Lily said. Hermione nodded, and let Regulus lead her away from the crowded room.

* * *

Hermione and Regulus walked in silence until they could no longer hear the party behind them. Once it was behind them, Regulus looked down at her. Though he was nearly two years younger than her, he was at least a head taller, and he looked very much like his brother, though his face was a bit rounder, and he was a tad shorter.

"So you're Hermione Potter, my long-lost cousin." He said quietly. Hermione nodded. "I've heard people, specifically Snape, talking bad about you since you got here. Surely you can't be that bad, with Black blood in you."

"I'm surprised you're even talking to me, honestly. According to Sirius, I'm not even on the family tree. He expects my father was blasted off when he married a Muggleborn." Hermione said.

"That part is a shame. I don't approve of that part, but in my mind, you're still family. Especially now that your parents are dead. You still have Black blood in your veins, Hermione." Regulus said. Hermione was a bit surprised by that.

"Regulus, can I ask what happened between you and Sirius?" She asked. He looked down.

"Differing opinions. He's got a bit of a temper, my brother. It's his way or the highway. Our family has never been the most- loving. Sirius and I, we were close growing up. He was my best friend. He made sure I stayed out of trouble with Mum and Dad, even if that meant he took the fall. When he came to Hogwarts, and was sorted into Gryffindor, that changed. Mum was _furious_. And of course, I was left home with her all year while Sirius went to school. So she started trying to mold me into this perfect Slytherin, trying to fix where she'd gone wrong with Sirius. I conformed, because without Sirius there to keep Mum off me, it was conform and submit, or be beaten into submission.

"So I became the model student, the perfect Black child. It's been mostly an act, until recently. Mum's been talking about the Dark Lord a lot. How he's recruiting, and how it good it would look on the House of Black if I were to join.I told her I had some friends interested in the Dark Arts, which I do. If you can call them friends. That seemed to please her, but I'm not sure how much more I can do. How much further I can take this without falling into something I want no part in." Hermione looked Regulus over, realizing that not having Sirius in his life had hurt him just as much as it had hurt Sirius.

"Well, that makes sense now. You know, Sirius doesn't hate you. Not as much as he pretends to." Hermione said. Regulus looked over at her.

"Really? It's seemed like he's even stopped trying to fight with me. After he was cast out of the House-" Regulus winced at that.

"I had a talk with him. I asked him if it came to it, that if you were in danger, would he want you to think that you couldn't come to him. Any guesses on his answer?" Hermione half grinned.

"Probably not. Suppose he wouldn't want someone who turned their back on him to come to him in a time of need." Regulus.

"Actually, no. He loves you, Regulus. Despite everything, you're family. You need to _talk to him_. I've been telling Sirius this for weeks. You two need to sit down and talk it out. I'll even be there, as a mediator, if you want." Hermione smiled. Regulus looked hopeful, and nodded.

"Yeah, I think we need to do that." He said, then grinned sideways at her. "Are the rumors I've heard about you two true?"

"We went on one date, then he chickened out and wouldn't even hold my hand for months." Hermione groaned. Regulus chuckled.

"That explains why you went with that idiot Prewett. May be Head Boy, but he's awfully thick sometimes. You know why he pulled you closer, right?" Hermione shook her head. "I walking up close to you and he was trying to get you outta my way. He scowled at me just before he yanked you closer."

"He doesn't like Slytherins very much, does he? I suppose he was trying to be protective, but he didn't have to be such a prat about it." Hermione said.

"Lupin looked like he wanted to murder him." Regulus said.

"That's Remus for you. He's fiercely protective of his friends." Hermione smiled to herself.

"So are you wanting to continue things with Sirius? If he pulls his head out of his arse?" Regulus said, as they rounded the corner, the Hospital Wing door in sight. Hermione sighed, then nodded.

"Yes. I like him quite a lot. But is it weird that we're cousins?" Hermione asked. Regulus shrugged.

"My perception may be a bit skewed on that one. My Mum and Dad are first cousins, after all. I'd say if he makes you happy, and can protect you, you should be with him." He told her, helping her onto a bed before turning to fetch Pomfrey.

"Regulus-" Hermione said. He turned back to her. "Thank you for this. For helping me. And talking to me. If you ever need anything, anything at all, I'm here." Regulus smiled at that.

"You're quite welcome, Hermione. I'll remember that. I'll be right back, okay?" Hermione returned the smile before sitting back on the bed and waiting for him to return with the matron.


	16. Sorry

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _December 18, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Room of Requirement_

"Okay, so you're telling me that my brother is a good guy and Prewett is an ass?" Sirius asked. Hermione nodded. "What sort of alternate reality have I walked into here?" he groaned. Hermione chuckled.

"Sirius, Gideon caused me to sprain my ankle. Your brother caught me, proceeded to walk me to the Hospital Wing, and stayed there with me until Lily and Remus came to walk me back to the Tower. We also had a talk." Hermione told him.

"A talk, huh? About what?" He asked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"About _you,_ Sirius." Hermione sighed. "He misses you. You _need_ to talk to him. Please."

"I think you do, too, Pads." James said, speaking up for the first time since they'd been in the room. Sirius glanced over at his best friend. "I know you miss him. He may have been a right prick, but he's still your baby brother."

Sirius nodded slowly, his eyes softening a little.

"Would you be there, Hermione?" He asked quietly. "I don't want it to devolve into a yelling match." Hermione nodded.

"Of course, Sirius. Whatever it takes to get you and Regulus talking again. I'll set it up." She beamed at him, then glanced at her watch. "Is that the time? I've got to go, I promised Lily I'd meet her in the library to start on that Charms essay. We wanted to get it finished before Christmas. I'll see you boys later." Hermione said, gathering her bag over her shoulder and picking up the crutches Madame Pomfrey had given her. The boys eyed her wearily, and Peter, who had been quietly sitting beside Remus the entire time they'd been in the Room, spoke up.

"Do you want me to help you to the library, Hermione?" Everyone in the room turned their heads at that; Peter never offered to help without first being prompted by one of the other boys. Hermione smiled.

"Sure, Pete, I could use the help." She said, and Sirius watched his face light up as he hopped up, opening the door for Hermione and following her out, waving to the other boys as he left.

"I think Peter has a crush." James said, sitting back in his chair. Sirius grumbled at that. "When are you going to talk to her, Sirius?"

"About what? She went to the party with Prewett. She obviously doesn't care about me anymore." He said, huffing. James and Remus exchanged a look.

"In case you didn't hear what Hermione was saying in the last, oh, _half hour_ , Sirius, she went with Prewett, who proceeded to cause her to sprain her ankle, and then _didn't offer to help._ I'd think it's safe to say she's finished with him." James told him.

"And it wouldn't hurt to add, I'm fairly certain she only agreed to go with him to get your attention, Pads." Remus said, leaning forward in his chair, toward his friends. Sirius sighed.

"What if she doesn't want me like that?" Sirius asked.

"Sirius, you should have heard her and Lily talking about you. Hermione was blushing bright red and Lily was trying to convince her that you really _are_ interested in her. She even went out of her way to try and help you reconnect with your brother. How can you doubt that she cares about you after all that?" Remus told him, with a small smile. Sirius met his friend's gaze with a sad, serious look.

"Mooney, logically, I know she cares about me. It's just- well, I can't figure out why she would. Chalk it up to family issues and my dearest mother banishing me from the family, but I've had a really hard time liking myself, recently. I don't know how you two stand to be around me, sometimes, honestly." Sirius confided.

"Because we love you." James said seriously. "And don't tell me to sod off and stop being emotional, Sirius, because you obviously need this right now. We care about you for you. I think Hermione wants a chance to get to know you for you, too. But she'd obviously be seeing a slightly different side to you than we would, wouldn't she? Is that what you're afraid of?"

"I'm not afraid of it!" Sirius said, defensively, before he met James's and Remus's eyes in turn and deflated a bit. "I'm terrified; clear difference there."

"You can't be brave if you're never afraid, Pads." James said. "You've got to face your fears." Sirius nodded.

"You're right. I'll- I'll talk to her soon." Sirius said, feeling more confident. Satisfied, Remus sat back in his chair and the three boys began talking about what they'd bought their friends for Christmas.

* * *

 _December 21, 1976 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

It was nearly midnight when Sirius awoke in a cold sweat. He didn't remember his dreams, but he knew they were terrifying enough to cause a physical reaction. All he remembered of the most recent dream was falling from quite some height before landing back in his bed. Sirius shook his head, sitting up and swinging his legs over the side of his bed. He scrubbed a hand over his face, looking toward the window to see if he could determine the time by the sky. He internally groaned when he realized it was nearly dawn. He shrugged his dressing gown on and slipped out of the room, heading for the fire in the common room. He'd done this on a couple occasions during the school year, and he always found the empty common room to be a warm, cozy respite in which to recover from his unknowable dreams.

Tonight, however, as his foot hit the bottom step, he noticed he wasn't the only one in the room. Hermione was curled in her favorite chair by the fire, reading. He smiled at the knowledge that her favorite chair was right across from his. He was surprised that she didn't look up from her book when she heard her coming, but upon further inspection, he noticed her dozing in her chair. His grin broadened and his heart melted as he tiptoed over to her, kneeling in front of her. He lifted a hand to brush away a few loose curls from her face, softly caressing her cheek in the process. His other hand found her thigh, rubbing it gently as he spoke low so as to wake her without freaking her out.

"Hermione, love, what are you doing down here?" He said, his fond smile audible. Hermione's eyes fluttered open, but Sirius's heart melted when, in the moment before she was fully awake, she leaned her head into his hand. Hermione's eyes opened and she took in her surroundings, and Sirius in front of her. She smiled at him sheepishly.

"Hi, Sirius." She said.

"Hey there." He chuckled, moving his hand from her cheek but keeping the one on her thigh in place. "What are you doing down here, 'Mione? You know your bed is a lot more comfortable."

"Couldn't sleep, so I decided to read. Turns out, I _could_ sleep, was just fighting it." Hermione said. "What are you doing up, anyway?" Sirius shrugged.

"I had a nightmare, don't remember what it was, but it woke me up. So I figured I'm come sit by the fire to calm down." Sirius said. Hermione looked him over, then noticed how he he was sitting.

"That can't be comfortable. Why don't you move to your chair?" she asked, but he merely shrugged.

"I like being this close to you." He grinned, squeezing her thigh gently. She blushed bright red, and he saw something click in her eyes. She marked her page in her book before closing it.

"I like being this close to you, too. But maybe we should sit on the couch and get you out of the floor?" Hermione said, with a smile. He grinned at her and hopped up, helping her up. She was still limping a bit, but she no longer needed the crutches to walk without pain. Regardless, Sirius helped her to the couch, and once there, he sank down beside her, wrapping an arm around her.

Hermione leaned her head on Sirius's chest, tucking her head beneath his chin. She pulled her legs up under her and and wrapped an arm around Sirius's stomach. They sat there like that for several minutes in silence, just enjoying being next to each other.

"I'm sorry." Sirius said suddenly. Hermione twisted her head to look at him for a second.

"For what?" she said, brows pulling together.

"For being a prat who has no idea what he's doing." He said. Hermione snorted in laughter.

"Well, at least you admit it." Hermione said, leaning her head back on his chest.

"So you're not mad?" Sirius asked. Hermione sighed.

"No, I'm not mad. I should have talked to you instead of trying to get your attention by going out with Gideon." Hermione said.

"Yeah, but I shouldn't have ignored you. I-" Sirius took a deep breath. "I was having a really hard time believing you actually like me."

"I know." Hermione said simply.

"You- what?" He asked.

"I know _why_ you pulled away from me. You don't come from the best family background, and given what Regulus told me, it's been rough on you recently. I knew then that you probably pulled away due to a fear of rejection." Hermione said.

"Have I ever told you how scarily smart you are?" Sirius asked.

"I don't think so, but I'll take it as a compliment." Hermione chuckled. Her hand lazily drawing patterns over his stomach. She wasn't meeting his eye, but he could see a blush creeping into her cheeks. He knew there was something she wanted to say.

"Spit it out, 'Mione." He told her. She turned red and bit her bottom lip.

"So, um- what _are_ we, Sirius? You and I?" She asked, still not meeting his eye. He couldn't help but smile. He hooked a finger under her chin and lifted her eyes to his.

"What do you want to be, love? I don't want to move to fast or too slow for you. I want you to be comfortable." He told her. She bit her bottom lip again.

"What I want to say feels silly. I don't want you to laugh at me." Hermione said.

"I won't laugh, I promise." Sirius said.

"I want to be yours." Hermione blushed, looking up at him. The amount of innocence in her face and voice would have been enough to drive Sirius to his knees had he not already been sitting. He caressed her cheek, a small smile growing on his face.

"Why would I laugh at that, love? That's what I want, too." he murmured. Her eyes lit up.

"Really?" She asked, nibbling on her bottom lip again. Sirius ran his thumb along her bottom lip, freeing it from her teeth.

"If you don't stop doing that, I'm going to do it for you. I don't think you realize how attractive that is." he murmured. Sirius was thrown off guard, though, when the look in Hermione's eye changed and she opened her mouth, biting down gently on his thumb. He groaned. "I stand corrected. You know _exactly_ how attractive that is. And you are." She giggled, releasing his thumb.

"Do I? It's a lot of guesswork, you know." Hermione said. Sirius looked into her eyes, biting his own lip this time.

"Hermione, can I- can we-?" Sirius said, stumbling over his words. He was suddenly the most nervous he'd ever been and he couldn't think straight. Thankfully, Hermione knew what he was getting at; she closed the space between them, her hand moving up to his shoulder. Suddenly her lips found his and Sirius was lost in her scent. Parchment and lavender. His hand slipped to the small of her back and pulled her closer to him.

"About bloody time." James called from behind them. They broke apart, looking back over the couch. James and Remus stood on the stairs, beaming over at them.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you it's rude to eavesdrop, James?" Sirius asked.

"Sure she did, but it's never stopped me. Or you, for that matter." James grinned. Sirius allowed that.

"So are you two-?" Remus asked. Sirius looked to Hermione, who smiled. He looked back to his friends and nodded.

"She's my girlfriend." Sirius said, grinning. Remus and James shared a look, and James swore under his breath. Sirius frowned. "What did I miss?"

"You lost me three galleons, mate." James said, with a smile. "Should have waited until after Christmas."


	17. Oh My Brother

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

January 5, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Charms Corridor, Third Floor

Hermione sat with Sirius in an empty classroom, knowing it wasn't being used this term. They'd picked here to meet with Regulus, since it was the most convenient, unnoticeable place for the three of them to be. Sirius was pacing and Hermione was perched atop the teacher's desk, reading while she wait.

"He's late." Sirius said, looking down at his watch. "What if he's not coming?"

"Sirius, relax. We said five-thirty, right? He's a fifth year, he's got Care of Magical Creatures on Wednesday. He's probably on his way up from the grounds." Hermione said, checking her own watch. They'd snagged a bite from the great hall, bringing some extras with them for Regulus, knowing he wouldn't be able to eat and meet with them. Sirius paced the length of the classroom again, wringing his hands.

"I say we give it ten more minutes before-" He was cut off by the door opening and Regulus slipping inside. Hermione looked up at the sound and marked her place in her book, setting it aside. She smiled at Regulus and handed him the little tray of food. He took it with a smile, and pulled a chair up to the desk and sat the food down. Before he sat, though, Sirius walked up to the pair, standing beside Hermione.

"Hey, Reg." He said, awkwardly, shifting his weight.

"Hey, Sirius." Regulus said. He looked up and locked eyes with his brother and Hermione felt the air in the room go tense for a moment.

"I'm sorry." Regulus said.

"Me too." Sirius told him, not breaking eye contact.

"I-" Regulus sighed. He took a deep breath. "I miss you."

Sirius nearly tackled his brother in a hug. Regulus hugged him back just as tightly.

"Merlin, I miss you, Reg." Sirius murmured into his brother's shoulder. He held the younger boy at shoulder length, looking over his features. They really were a lot alike.

"I…" Regulus opened his mouth, before closing it could see that he was trying to figure out his words, trying to figure out what to say without making matters worse. "Things have been bad since you left," he said quietly. Sirius's shoulders dropped. He'd known it would have gotten worse on Regulus, their mother was known for taking her rage from one son out on the other. He winced, remembering the last fight they'd had before Sirius had fled to the Potters'.

"Yeah. I'm sorry. Mum must have had a fit. But Dad usually doesn't let her go too far, right?" He asked hopefully.

"Sorry?" Regulus spat, stepping back from Sirius. "Sirius, I… Dad hasn't tried to stop her. She's that bad, you're blasted off the tapestry," he informed him. "It's been hell, she's trying to keep up with appearances. She wants me to join the Dark Lord."

"She's wanted that from the beginning. She wanted that from me. I told her she could shove it, but you? You're her little Death Eater in training. The perfect son. I reckon even if you didn't want to be that, she's made you that." Sirius quipped back, but then he sighed. He was angry at the situation, he told himself, not his brother.

"I'm a student member of the Order." He told Regulus.

Regulus chewed on the inside of his cheek, looking down at the floor. "Right, well, good for you!" He snapped. "I'm not perfect though, Sirius, I couldn't be if I tried. I don't want it, you're right. She's made me that, and I hate everything about it. You know, you didn't once think about the consequences of your actions. You've always been selfish."

Sirius stared at the younger boy. He was right. He had been selfish all along.

"Reg, I-" Sirius started, but he knew apologizing would do nothing. "I want you to know that, no matter what you get yourself into, no matter what problems you end up facing down the road, if you get yourself in a bind, I'm here." he said.

Regulus was silent for a good long while, wringing his hands together. Sirius knew that his brother was standing on the edge of the deep end, waiting to be pushed off into the darkness - but he also knew just how willing he was to pull him back up. It was clear that Regulus saw that, in that moment, as well. He hugged his brother tightly.

"I'm here, too."

Hermione shifted her weight on the desk behind them and the boys broke apart, suddenly reminded of her presence. She looked them over with a slight smile that Sirius couldn't place.

"Regulus, eat. Your food will get cold." She said. Regulus grinned at her.

"Roger that, Miss Potter," he responded, grabbing a plate and digging in. Hermione chuckled and it warmed Sirius's heart to see his brother and his girlfriend interacting so freely. He shook his head and sat down next to Regulus.

"So there was a reason I told you I was in the Order, you know." He said. "A couple, really."

"Is it 'cause she's in the Order and you don't want to be left out?" Regulus asked, shoving a forkful of food into his mouth. "Or, ooooh! You wanted to impress her. I mean, bro, I get it. You've always been a grower, not a shower, after all."

Sirius looked around for something to throw at Regulus, but Hermione put a hand on his arm to calm him. She smiled at him gently and he nodded, knowing what she meant. She knew this was just Reg baiting him, so he took a breath to steady himself before continuing.

"No. I didn't join the Order to impress her. I joined to protect her. She's a target, Reg. A pretty big one, if our sources are to be believed." Sirius informed him. Regulus dropped the smirk.

"If they're after her, you're gonna need more than just you protecting her. Potter, and Lupin, they're in on this, too?" He asked, his whole demeanor changing. Sirius nodded.

"They're not members, not yet, but we've all been sticking pretty close to her. Peter, too." Sirius said. Sirius noticed Regulus's eyes flashed down at the mention of Peter, and his eyebrows pulled together, but he didn't question it.

"You've got to be careful, Sirius. I'll try to keep you informed if I hear anything in my circles, but please, keep her safe." Regulus said. Sirius looked from his brother to Hermione, questions swirling in his mind. He nodded.

"Of course. I'll protect her with my life." He vowed. Regulus finished his meal and stood, preparing to leave.

"If you need me, send me an owl at breakfast. Mum's been sending a lot of mail recently, it'll go largely unnoticed. Just try not to do it too often, yeah? Keep up appearances and all that." He said. Sirius nodded. Regulus stuck out his hand to Sirius, smiling at the shocked look on his brother's face. Sirius shook his hand, finishing the embrace with a hug. They pulled apart and Regulus's eyes searched for Hermione. She had hopped down from the desk and was gathering her things to leave after having vanished the plate with the scraps of Regulus's dinner. Regulus spun Hermione around and hugged her tightly. She was shocked at first, but hugged him back just as firmly.

"Thank you for helping me get my brother back." He said to her. Then, softer, clearly not meant to be heard by Sirius, thought he heard it anyway, Regulus spoke again. "Take care of him. I can't lose him." She nodded, and he released her, nodding to them both before slipping out of the room.

* * *

January 30, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room

Sirius sat in his favorite seat by the fire, watching Lily and Hermione giggle over the butterbeer that he and James had snuck in from Hogsmeade for Lily's birthday. He and James had gone to Hogsmeade the previous weekend, which was the first visit of the new term, to procure party supplies while Hermione and Remus distracted Lily. Sirius knew that Hermione knew it was mostly for her protection, but it also gave her a sense of purpose, and for that she was grateful. Hermione had give Sirius a short list of things they needed for the party, including what sort of present she wanted to get for her. Sirius and James obliged all of her requests and James even saw an opportunity to woo Lily once again.

"Presents!" Hermione called, picking up the three bags very near the couch where the two girls sat. James perched himself on the back of the couch, and Remus took a seat in the chair across from Sirius, all the boys watching with anticipation. Hermione pulled out her gift to Lily first.

"This is from me, but Sirius helped." She said, handing her the box. It was heavy, Sirius knew, as he'd had to carry the blasted thing up from Hogsmeade. Lily unwrapped the present quickly, opening the box Hermione had placed it in for wrapping. She pulled out an ornate, cherry wood jewelry box. She looked it over with a big smile on her face. She set the present aside and hugged her friend.

"It's gorgeous, thank you!" She said. Hermione hugged her back, smiling. When Lily resumed her seat, Hermione handed her a little bag.

"That's from Remus." She told her. Lily opened the bag and smiled, pulling out two books. The first was a leather bound journal with "Lily" embossed on the cover in gold. The second was a book on ancient runes, one that Lily already owned. However, Lily was constantly complaining about how shoddy and rundown her copy was, and her face lit up seeing the new copy before her.

"Where did you find it, Remus? I thought they'd stopped printing it!" She asked, looking over to the lean, pale boy. He chuckled.

"I have my sources. Dad had to search half of England for it, though, so take care of that copy, would you?" Remus said. She leaped up and hugged her friend.

"Thank you!" She said, then returned to her seat and replaced the two books in their bag and sat them aside.

"Last one." Hermione said, picking up a small box from the floor. "Three guesses who it's from, and the first two don't count." She giggled. Lily took the small box wrapped in red and gold and Sirius watched James grin broadly from his perch on the back of the couch. Lily opened the box carefully and gasped at what she saw. Sirius knew it was a necklace. The pendant was a flower, five cut garnets forming the petals, set into sterling silver.

"James, this is too much." Lily said, admiring the gift, but trying to hand it back to James. James merely shook his head, trapping her hands under his and pushing the box back toward her.

"No such thing as too much." He said, then let the grin slide off his face. He looked into her eyes, a hand caressing her shoulder. "I'm not trying to buy your love, Lily. Don't think that for a second, alright? I'm just trying to show you how I feel about you."

"By buying me nice things?" Lily giggled, rolling her eyes

"By giving you something just as beautiful and brilliant as you." James said, running a hand over her cheek. Lily blushed and Sirius watched Hermione grin. She'd been part of this set up from the beginning. Sirius could see the aloofness Lily usually had with James melting.

"James…" Lily started with a sigh. She looked to Hermione for support, and she nodded encouragingly. Lily looked up to James with a smile. "If you're gonna try asking me out again, I'd suggest doing it now." She chuckled. His eyes lit up and he brushed a stray hair off her face before speaking up.

"Would you go on a date with me, Lily Evans?" He asked. "On Valentine's day?" Sirius thought for one gruelling moment that she was going to say no.

"Pick me up at noon in the common room?" She asked, a twinkle in her eye. Sirius and Remus broke out in triumphant grins as James launched himself off the back of the couch in celebration.

"One date, James Potter. You get once chance to show me why I should date you." Lily said smugly. Sirius grinned. He knew James had been planning the perfect first date for Lily since he started pining after her. James grinned ear to ear.

"Yes ma'am." He told her, dropping a wink in her direction.

"One last thing." She said, biting her lower lip.

"What's that?" James asked, unable to stop smiling. Lily leaned forward and kissed his cheek. She giggled when he blushed bright red.

"Thank you for the necklace." She murmured. Sirius wolf-whistled at his best friend and Hermione and Lily fell into a fit of laughter.

Sirius met Hermione's eyes across the room, and he took in the love and light in the room. It was a good night.


	18. The Tower

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _February 13, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland- Gryffindor Common Room_

Hermione sat in the common room with Lily, checking herself over once again before Lily smacked her hand away from her already-frizzing hair.

"Stop touching it. It's humid enough, touching your hair will only make it worse." Lily scolded. Hermione nodded, putting her hands in her lap. "And _don't worry._ " she told her.

"How can I not? This is our first date since Halloween." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"And this is _my_ first date with James, ever." Lily said.

"And you're more nervous than an erumpent in a china shop." Hermione said, crossing her arms over her chest. Lily sighed.

"Is it _that_ obvious?" She asked, Hermione smiled softly and nodded. "Blimey, Hermione, I actually _like_ him." She said, her voice sounding distressed. Hermione giggled.

"He's really not that bad, you know? He can be really sweet." She told her.

"Talking about me, are you?" Sirius asked, trodding down the stairs and leaning on the back of the couch between the two girls. Hermione rolled her eyes at him.

"You? Sweet? Never." Lily told him. Sirius put a hand to his chest in mock insult.

"You wound me." He exclaimed. Hermione took the opportunity to look him over. He wore Muggle clothes, like he often did on the weekends, and just like always, it was jeans and a t-shirt. She noticed that he was wearing the leather jacket James had gotten him for Christmas, as well as the boots that Hermione had asked James to get him for her. His wand was stuck into his front pocket, and his long black hair actually looked like it had been brushed.

Hermione was glad they'd decided to go on their Valentine's Day date a day early. She was busy enough with N.E.W.T classes and the occasional Slug Club dinners during the week. It also gave her a reason to wear the new dress she'd gotten as a present from Aunt Euphemia. She smoothed out imaginary wrinkles from the navy blue A-line skirt as she stood up from the couch.

"Where's James? Wasn't he supposed to meet Lils here, too?" Hermione asked, looking up to the balcony to see if James was on his way down.

"About that-" Sirius started,grinning widely, a hand rubbing the back of his neck. "He had a bit of a- erm, failed experiment. He was trying something new with his hair, and-"

"And he's turned it pink." Remus said, appearing from the doorway to the boys' dormitories.

"Pink?" Sirius said, frowning. "It was bright red a few moments ago!"

"Apparently, when dealing with this sort of charm, _colorvaria_ only does so much." Remus said with as shrug. "It lightened the color, but now his hair is a baby pink. The charm will wear off in a few days, but right now he's too embarrassed to leave the room."

"You tell him that he has one chance to get his arse down here, pink hair or no, and take me to Hogsmeade." Lily said, hands on her hips. Sirius grinned and shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket.

"Good luck with that." Sirius said, leaning against the couch again. "You know how James is, once he's made up his mind-"

Lily shoved past him, up the stairs to the landing, before grabbing Remus by the arm and dragging him in the direction of the boys' dormitories.

"Should we go before they get back?" Hermione asked Sirius, half amused, half worried.

"No, I want to see how this turns out." Sirius said, pushing away from the couch and reaching out to Hermione. He'd been better about holding her hand when they walked to and from classes, and he'd even gotten to the point that he'd wrap an arm around her waist. Every time he got close, Hermione blushed furiously and dropped her gaze.

Sirius wound a hand around her waist, pulling her closer. She looked down, but he chuckled and pulled her chin up, grey eyes locking with brown.

"Why do you do that?" He asked softly, running his thumb along her chin. She shivered a bit at his touch.

"I- don't know." Hermione said.

"Well, that's a first. Hermione Potter, not knowing something?" Sirius smirked down at her.

"It happens." she said, defensively, meeting his gaze full force.

" _There's_ my girl." Sirius said, and Hermione felt herself melt, a warm glow radiating from her chest. _His_ girl. That felt good. Sirius turned when they heard voices coming from the boys' dorms, though he kept his hand around her waist.

"- and honestly, James, you've spent the last three years asking me out incessantly. Do you really think that, of all the reasons I wouldn't want to be seen with you in public, it would be because of your pink hair?"

"Really a moral booster, there, eh, Lils?" James muttered. She smiled at him, then called down to Hermione and Sirius.

"You two can go ahead. I don't need back up anymore." Lily said. Sirius snorted, but Hermione merely smiled and nodded.

"You're going to Hogsmeade, right?" Hermione asked.

"Sure are. What are you two doing?" She asked.

"I've no idea." Hermione said, glancing to Sirius.

"And I plan on keeping it that way." He said, turning to leave. "You kids have fun now, you hear?" he called back to Lily and James.

"Remember what I said, Pads. Be careful." James said, a warning in his tone. Hermione quirked an eyebrow up at Sirius as he led them away.

"Always am."

* * *

 _Later, The Astronomy Tower_

Hermione found herself leaning on the railing of the Astronomy Tower, her head resting on Sirius's shoulder. They'd stood like this for the better part of an hour, watching the sunset on the horizon. They'd watched Lily and James make their way down the winding path to Hogsmeade, talking and laughing about the shade of James's hair and how Lily had marched into the boys' dorm. Once the sun had set, though, the atmosphere changed.

The conversation had lulled and Sirius had begun to say more with physical touch than with words. Every now and again he'd reach out and stroke her face, or run a hand down her side. Hermione loved being this close to him, but she had a few things on her mind.

"Why do you do that?" She echoed his question from earlier. He'd just ran his hand over her back, and while it felt good, it seemed to be something he did subconsciously.

"Hmh?" Sirius asked, seemingly zoned out. So it _was_ subconscious. He seemed to realized what she was talking about and shook his head as if to clear it.

"Oh, I- um. This might sound a little-" He sighed. "Creepy? Weird? Desperate? A mix thereof?" He said, sounding defeated.

"Try me." Hermione smirked.

"I supposed it's to make sure you're still there." Sirius said, looking up at the moon instead of at her. It was a waning crescent, the new moon due to rise that week. Hermione looked him over in the moonlight, before turning him to face her and pulling him down into a kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and his hands easily rested upon her waist. The kiss was soft and sweet, but there was a passion there that Hermione hadn't experienced before - not that she'd had much experience kissing boys. When they broke apart, Sirius rested his forehead against her's, looking into her eyes.

"I'm not going anywhere, Sirius." She said, happy that she didn't have to lie about that. She watched him smile lazily before he kissed her forehead, pulling her close against his chest. They stood like that for a few moments before Hermione pulled back a bit, to look up at him.

"So I'm still insanely curious. Why did James tell you to be careful?" Hermione asked. She watched a slow grin form across his features and almost instantly regretted asking.

"I'd told him what I had planned, of course. Part of it is a bit- well, he knows you don't like it." He told her.

" _Okay._ " Hermione said, unwinding her arms from his neck and taking a step away from him. "So what _is_ _it_?" She asked. He grinned, then pulled something out of his back pocket. He took his wand out of his front pocket and waved it.

" _Engorgio._ " He muttered. The tiny object grew exponentially, until Sirius stood, holding James's Nimbus 1001. Hermione's eyes widened.

"Oh no. You are _not_ getting me on that death trap." Hermione exclaimed.

"Come _on,_ 'Mione. I'll be right there with you. I'll even sit behind you and hold you if you want?" Sirius pled. Hermione thought that over, and while it was nice to think about being that close to him, she _didn't_ want to think about being that far off the ground. He pulled her close to him, placing a kiss on the side of her head. "We spend so much time looking up at the stars. Haven't you ever wondered what it's like to be up there with them?" Sirius whispered in her ear.

His proximity and his word had a combined effect on her that she wasn't quite able to understand, but it was intoxicating. She bit her bottom lip, looking up at him sheepishly.

"Fine. But a short ride! It's cold out tonight." Hermione said.

"I'll keep you warm, love." Sirius smirked, his voice dropping even lower than usual. Hermione blushed and mounted the broom , Sirius holding her closely from behind before kicking off.

They flew across the grounds in silence for a few moments, Hermione's knuckles white on the handle. Her eyes were tightly closed, and though Sirius's body was curled around her own, she was still freezing when they flew over the lake. At last, Sirius came to hover over the Forbidden Forest.

"The stars are brighter if you open your eyes, love." Sirius murmured in her ear, removing his hands from the broom to wrap his arms around Hermione.

"Did you have to let go of the broom?" Hermione asked, her eyes shooting open wide, panicked, she turned her head to look at him, but he just chuckled.

"It got you to open your eyes, didn't it?" He asked, then nodded to their view. "Look."

Hermione marvelled at the sight before her; it was a clear night with practically no light pollution, and with the waning moon low in the sky, the stars were bright and clear. She'd spent the past six years looking up at the night skies once a week and charting the heavenly bodies' movement across the night sky. Yet, being this far from the ground, even higher than the Astronomy Tower, she'd never felt more at peace.

"That's better, isn't it?" Sirius murmured into her ear. One of his hands found its way into her hair and started playing with her curls.

"How did you know I'd like this?" Hermione asked, relaxing into him a bit.

"Instinct, I guess." he said. "We have so much in common, I knew part of you would enjoy this at least a little." Hermione allowed that.

"Do you ever worry that I'll get boring?" Hermione asked suddenly. "With us having so much in common, that is?" Sirius thought for a moment on that question.

"No. I don't know how you could _possibly_ get boring. In the short time I've known you, you've made friends with all of my friends, given my enemies a run for their money, reunited me with my brother, and have me convinced you're a least slightly a Seer. No, Hermione, I'm not worried about you getting boring." He told her. A wave of guilt washed over her. She'd have to tell him eventually. If they were to continue their relationship in any sort of real, meaningful way, she knew she'd have to tell him. But not tonight. There was too much at stake, and he didn't need to know yet.

 _He knows enough_ , she told herself. _That'll have to do for now._


	19. A Stroll in the Moonlight

**_A/N: I want to take a minute and give a big shout out to my friend and beta, ohnobetty. She's helped me with this story so much. You all should also totally go check out her new story, Albus & The Wolf! _**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _March 5, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Seventh Floor Corridor_

It was the night of the full moon, and as usual on these nights, Hermione couldn't sleep. She found herself wandering the halls almost before realizing it. She knew where her feet were taking her, though, so she followed the instinct she had and walked quickly in the direction of the Astronomy Tower.

A lot had happened since her Valentine's date with Sirius, and she found herself lost in thought about the last month, which seemed to have flown by; James and Lily weren't really a couple, not yet, though they did have plans to go on a date over Easter holidays. Hermione and Sirius, though, the whole school knew about. Frankly, Hermione was just about fed up with being on the receiving end of endless jealous stares while walking in the corridors with Sirius.

Then there was her nightmares. They'd all but stopped, and Hermione wasn't sure if that was a good thing, or a bad thing. She'd been keeping up with her nightly meditation and had improved leaps and bounds in the way of compartmentalizing her emotions. She hadn't had much luck in repressing the visions and nightmares, though, until one day at the end of February. They simply stopped. Months of nightmares nearly every day flipped off like a light switch. The first night, Hermione could hardly believe it. The week following, though, she began to worry.

Her visions and nightmares were how she kept tabs on Voldemort's attacks. Without them, she was blind, and virtually a non-asset to the Order. Her hope in repressing the nightmares had been to learn how to control them, which she was still hoping to do. But now she was having a problem; none of the books she'd read had come close to teaching her how to go about that. She was on her own for this one.

On the bright side, though, she was sleeping better, when she slept, but a new problem had arisen: she didn't go to bed until midnight or later, these days. Between her homework, research, and worrying about the implications of her lack of visions, she stayed up in the common room most nights. Sirius had started picking up on her poor sleeping habits and she knew he was worried about her, but of course he thought that it was PTSD from her "attack" that summer.

She sighed, trudging up the last few stairs, grunting as she reached the top. She moved to one of the observation decks, specifically the deck facing the Whomping Willow. James, Peter and Sirius had left an hour before, under the cover of darkness (and James's invisibility cloak). Hermione knew that they'd likely be roaming the grounds with Moony, but she didn't expect to see a figure headed for the tree, especially not a human. The clouds in front of the moon cleared, and Hermione saw the figure come into clear focus. It was Snape.

Hermione gasped. She suddenly remembered the story Remus, the Remus she knew in her own time, had told her, Harry, and Ron during their third year, the first time she'd met Sirius Black. Snape had seen Remus being led to the Whomping Willow and Sirius had thought it funny to tell him how to access it. Even as Hermione watched, Snape prodded at the knot at the base of the tree to calm it. Her heart tightened. She knew there was nothing she could do. James would have to save the day, and, for Remus and Snape's sakes, alike, Hermione hoped history repeated itself. She sat on the ledge of the observation deck, determined to wait it out and ensure Snape left the tunnel unharmed. As she shifted her weight, she heard a noise behind her. In a moment, she had her wand out, turning towards the noise.

It was Regulus. Hermione lowered her wand, frowning at the boy. He had his hands held up in surrender, and as she lowered her wand, he lowered his hands.

"Regulus. What are you doing out of bed?" Hermione asked.

"Couldn't sleep. I come up here lots of nights when that's the case. Though usually, I'm alone." He grinned at her. "What brings you here?" he asked, moving to join her on the observation deck.

"Couldn't turn my brain off. Sirius and I have a- thing. We come up here and watch the sky if we can't sleep. 'Course, tonight it's just me." Hermione said. Regulus chuckled softly.

"Sirius and I used to watch the stars growing up. We had to have a telescope to see them- Mum bought us a real nice one, encouraged us to study the stars. After all, we're both named after one. It became a source of comfort for us. If he couldn't sleep, he'd wake me up and we'd sneak up to the attic and take turns looking at the sky." he said. Hermione looked him over. He had a peaceful expression on his face as he looked up at the night sky.

"Suppose watching the stars just wouldn't be the same without a Black." Hermione said, smiling. Regulus smiled faintly, not meeting her eyes.

"Hermione, when are you going to tell him?" He said, his face nearly a mask. Her brows pulled together.

"Tell him what?" She asked.

"That you're not from this time." He said, his eyes finally meeting hers. Her blood ran cold.

"How do you know?" She asked softly.

"Lucius Malfoy. He's the Death Eater recruiter that's been in contact with me recently. Asked for information regarding you, and I, of course, had some questions as well." Regulus told her.

"What did you-" She began, stiffly.

"I didn't tell him anything he didn't already know. Just what I'm expected to know." He said. "But I do wonder if you knew any of us in the future." Hermione sighed. She had already changed the time stream with her visions. If telling Regulus about what she knew would help her save her friends, she'd do it.

"Yes. I knew Sirius and Remus in my time. And Peter, briefly, though that acquaintance was far from pleasant." Hermione said, scrunching her nose as she remembered the interaction between Remus, Sirius, and Peter in the Shrieking Shack.

"So then you know where his loyalties lie?" Regulus asked.

"I know where his loyalties ended up." Hermione said, looking up at the sky. "Though it caused a lot of unnecessary death. If I can keep it from happening, I will." Hermione told him. Regulus nodded.

"You didn't answer my question, though, 'Mione. When are you going to tell him?" He repeated. Hermione locked eyes with him.

"I'm not sure." Hermione sighed. "He needs to know, I understand that. Especially since this war is going to get bad. I know what happens, Reg. But- this is something you can't tell anyone, I need your word." Hermione said, locking eyes with him.

"I swear on the House of Black, Hermione, whatever you tell me shall not pass my lips." he told her, meeting her gaze. His grey eyes held nothing but truth, and she knew that Regulus's name meant the world to him. To swear on the House of Black- yes, she trusted him.

"I was sent back in time via a time turner that fell on my head in a battle in the Department of Mysteries. Ever since, I've been having visions about the near future. Dumbledore knows, and as such, he's been able to act upon the information I've given him and has prevented several incidents."

"So you're changing time. Are you sure that's wise, Hermione?" he asked.

"My best friend in my time grew up an orphan because of this war, Reg." Hermione told him. "His parents were Lily and James Potter."

"Did you- did you know me in your time?" he asked. She looked down. She'd known this conversation would happen.

"No, Reg. You were- already gone." Hermione said, trying to remember what it was Harry had told her about Sirius's family two summers before. "All I know is that you were a Death Eater. But you had little contact with Sirius." the corner of Regulus's mouth twitched up at that.

"Well then, we're already looking better." he said. "Sirius and I may not be the closest, but I know if I need him, he's there." He said. "Do you think we can really change things, Hermione? Do you think we save people?"

"I hope so." She said. She looked up as a shadow burst from the tunnel under the Whomping Willow. She watched Snape run back towards the castle, tripping over himself several times. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief. That was that, then.

"Do I want to know what that was all about?" Regulus asked, looking her over in the moonlight. Hermione thought about it.

"Probably not. It's complicated." Hermione said. Regulus nodded. "So you're a pureblood in this timeline. What are you really?" he asked.

"You really want to know?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah." He said, looking her over.

"I'm a Muggleborn." Hermione said. Regulus looked down, chuckling. "What?"

"Sorry, it's just-" Regulus burst out laughing. "Just, you know if you and Sirius get serious enough, you'll probably have to meet Mum at some point. She'd think you're a pureblood, top of your class. She'd be so proud of Sirius for finding a _respectable_ girlfriend. Knowing what I do, it's just sort of ironic, you know? You're everything Mum hates, disguised as everything she loves, Gryffindor aside." Hermione smirked.

"I never got to meet Walburga in person, but if she's anything like the portrait of her, I will enjoy the irony if I ever have to deal with her." Hermione said.

"For what it's worth, I'm glad you and Sirius are together." He told her, sobering. "You bring out the best in my brother."

"I try." Hermione grinned, "But he's still an idiot sometimes."

* * *

 _March 19, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Common Room_

Hermione sat in Sirius's lap, despite her many protests against that type of public displays of affection. She blushed when she felt Sirius run a hand over her back and side, and tried to ignore the sensations that his touch nearly always brought about in her.

"What's the matter, 'Mione?" James called from his spot on the couch between Lily and Remus. "Thought Sirius already took you for a ride on his broom." he waggled his eyebrows ridiculously.

"Well, it was _your_ broom, James, first of all. And if you must know, I was terribly uncomfortable the entire time." She huffed.

"Not the entire time, according to my sources." James said, and Hermione blushed. She'd known Sirius would tell the boys about the date, that's what boys did. She just had thought she'd be teased about her reactions.

"Oh, leave her alone, James, and open your presents, so Remus can open his." Lily chided him.

The were having James and Remus's birthday party, which, according to Sirius, they always held in the middle of March. Remus's birthday had already past, being on tenth, and James's was on the twenty-seventh. Hermione had owled Aunt Euphemia asking her to help her get the boys' presents, so that Sirius wouldn't have to smuggle them past James and Remus.

"Fine, I'll stop." James pouted. Hermione giggled at his reaction. He and Lily weren't official, but they both acted like it so much that Hermione had called them out on it a couple times.

"Peter, hand me that box, would you?" James asked, and like he had flipped a switch, Hermione's vision went black. She felt herself fall into Sirius's chest before she was suddenly not in Gryffindor Common Room any longer.

" _The boy, the weak one. What is his name?" Voldemort said, pacing back and forth in front of a group of men, all of whom were sitting. It looked very like a board meeting, save the downcast eyes of all the men present._

" _Pettigrew, my Lord. Peter Pettigrew. He's begun to run in some of the Slytherin circles, despite being a Gryffindor, and has expressed interest in our cause. According to Snape and his friend, Black, he's very close to her."_

" _Yes. We can most certainly use him. Lucius, you will do all you can to get this boy on our side, am I clear?" He barked._

" _Yes, of course, my Lord." Lucius Malfoy said, bowing his head._

And suddenly Hermione came to; Sirius was shaking her, slapping her face gently.

"Hermione! Are you alright?" He asked, seeing her eyes flutter open.

"P-pe-" Hermione struggled to say the word, "Peter." She said, looking up at Sirius, eyes wide. Then she passed out.


	20. The Confrontation

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _April 2, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Hospital Wing_

Hermione awoke with a pounding in her head, the light around her too bright. She gasped, breathing heavily. Her arm felt heavy and she looked down, squinting against the bright room. There was an IV in her arm, a purple liquid making its way into her veins. Hermione tried to move, but found she couldn't move more than her head a few inches one way or the other. Looking about her, she saw Sirius sitting next to her, his parchment and quill that he'd been scratching away on cast aside when he'd heard her gasp.

"Hermione?" Sirius asked quietly, almost disbelieving.

"S-Sirius?" She said, her voice cracking and her throat dry. Suddenly, Sirius leapt out of his seat, headed for Madame Pomfrey's office.

"Madame Pomfrey! She's awake!" He yelled across the ward. Hermione was surprised by how quickly the elderly matron made it to her.

"There you are, dearie! Gave us a right shock, you did. Let me take off this stasis spell. Do try to stay still, now." She witch said, pulling out her wand and muttering a quick spell. "There. Now you can sit up, but do try to move slowly, dear. Let me help."

"Why am I so sore?" Hermione asked as the older woman.

"You've been unconscious for the better part of two weeks, dear. Mr. Black, would you fetch the Headmaster please? He requested to be informed when Ms. Potter awoke." Madame Pomfrey said.

"She just woke up, I'm not leaving her." Sirius said. Madame Pomfrey gave Hermione some water as she checked her over further. Hermione looked up to Sirius.

"Sirius, I need to speak with Dumbledore soon. And alone. I'm fine, I promise, but I need you to do this for me." She said, her hand finding his and squeezing it. He sighed.

"Alright. But I'll be back in an hour." He said. Hermione nodded, and Sirius left the room to fetch Dumbledore.

* * *

"So this coma was caused by a vision, Ms. Potter?" Dumbledore asked Hermione. She nodded.

"I'd been doing my mediations nightly and then the nightmares and visions just stopped. It worried me for a couple weeks, then, this." Hermione said. "I'm having a hard time figuring out my head." she said.

"How have you been dealing with them? Perhaps I can help you sort things out?" Dumbledore said, leaning back in her chair.

"Compartmentalizing all of my emotions and the visions and trying to control them." Hermione said.

"Hermione, you can not put something as fluid as thought and time in a box." Dumbledore said, pulling out his wand. He swished it and several plumes of smoke emerged, hanging in the air. "The mind works in funny ways, and though I cannot speak fully for these visions, I can speak for memories in general. They are very fluid things, they flow with the passage of time, ever changing, ever evolving. Memories flow and change, just like water, or smoke." He said, twirling his wand and causing the smoke to twist and turn every which way.

"If you try to trap it, block it from coming through entirely," He said, flicking his wand. A clear wall appeared, holding back the smoke as it continued to move. "It will only grow. You can't box emotions and memories up and leave them, because for every emotion you feel today, there will be another tomorrow. And eventually-" he said, swishing his wand, causing the smoke to amplify. It pushed against the white wall, causing it to bulge, and then, eventually, to shatter, the smoke pouring out over the ruins of the wall. "The box will break. My guess is that this attack was so bad because of the way you have been trying to deal with the visions."

"But, sir, how else _can_ I deal with them?" Hermione asked.

"This last vision, you said you don't remember it, yes?" Dumbledore asked. Hermione nodded.

"I only remember bits, nothing really useful." She said, frowning.

"Then perhaps, instead of trying to repress the visions, you should be trying to _have_ them." He told her.

"How do you mean? Like gazing into a crystal ball?" Hermione scoffed.

"While I agree Divination isn't the most noble of magics, that's not a bad analogy. Perhaps being aware that visions may happen at any time will lessen their effects on you. In becoming more open to them, opening your 'inner eye', if you will, it is possible that you could gain some modicum of control over them." He said thoughtfully.

"This sounds ridiculous," Hermione sighed, "but I'll try it. Anything's better than a two-week coma." She said.

"Speaking of which, I've spoken with your professors, and they've all assured me you will have ample time to turn in any missed assignments. Mr. Black should have most of your homework if I'm not mistaken." He said with a smile.

"It helps that I was a week ahead in my classes." Hermione sighed. "So much for staying ahead all year."

"You'll be fine, I'm sure." He said, looking her over. "As you know, my office is always open for you." He told her, nodding as he stood to leave. Hermione sank back into the bed, trying to work out what happened the night she passed out, when Dumbledore turned for one last word.

"I expect great things from you, Hermione. But remember, you can only get so far by yourself." And with that, he quit the hospital wing.

* * *

 _May 25, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Unused Classroom_

Hermione paced back and forth at the front of the classroom, waiting for him to show up. She'd not had much luck in correcting her meditations for her visions by herself, and as her sleeping patterns were getting progressively worse, her work had started to suffer. What Dumbledore had said begun to weigh on her mind. She was doing this alone.

She didn't talk about the muggle killings she witnessed when she closed her eyes, didn't talk overtly even about the visions she'd experienced. She'd wanted nothing more in the past few months than to forget she saw anything at all.

And that was her problem. In order for her to control the visions, she had to first accept that the visions were something she couldn't change. She was stuck with them, and no amount of wishing or hoping them away would change that. But who was she to talk to? Dumbledore was busy with other matters, too busy, indeed, to play therapist to her. Professor McGonagall was much the same. So Hermione only had one other option.

She jumped as the door creaked open and Regulus slipped in. Hermione breathed a sigh of relief and padded over to the boy, hugging him tightly.

"Thank you for coming. I just- I need some help with all this." Hermione said.

"It's not a problem, love, you know that." Regulus said, hugging her tightly before releasing her and grabbing a chair. He straddle it and got comfortable before looking to Hermione. "So what do you need help sorting out? All you said in your letter was we needed to talk about time."

"These visions I'm having. I think-" She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I think in order to acknowledge that they're real, I need to talk them through with someone. You're the only one who knows who I feel comfortable venting like that to. Would you- be okay with that?" She asked, preparing herself for a rejection.

"Of course, Hermione. If it will keep you safe and _not_ passing out every two weeks, of course I will listen." He said with a smile. She sighed heavily.

"Before I start, I have to warn you, my dreams and visions are really graphic sometimes. Are you okay with that?" Hermione asked, looking into his eyes.

"Hermione, I've been trained by my mother and father to be a death eater as soon as I turn seventeen. I've already been forced to witness death and torture already. I can handle graphic." Regulus said, looking Hermione in the eye. His grey eyes were blank and Hermione almost didn't recognize him. She nodded, a shiver running down her spine.

"Alright." she said. She began to tell him about every vision, every nightmare she could remember, all in very explicit detail. Sometimes Regulus would interrupt because he didn't understand what was happening in the story and Hermione would have to rethink how it happened to explain it. There were some stories, like that of the little muggle girl she had watched being murdered, that she cried over. Regulus held her while she cried, encouraged it, actually.

"You're grieving them. If that's not acknowledging the visions, I don't know what is." He murmured to her when she apologized.

"Can we do this again?" she asked into his chest, wiping the tears from her eyes. "There's so much more, and likely even more after tonight, and it's getting late."

"Of course. How about once a month? We'll set the date so no one will get suspicious." he said. Hermione nodded.

"Thanks for this, Reg." She said, drying her eyes and hugging him again. He held her tightly.

"Don't worry about it." He told her quietly. "It's the least I could do."

* * *

 _June 19, 1977 Hogsmeade Station, Scotland - Hogwarts Express_

Hermione walked down the train, the boys behind her, looking for an empty compartment. Lily had gone to sit with a few of her friends but promised she'd drop by their compartment at some point during the trip. Hermione finally found an empty compartment and slid the door open, padding over to the window seat at once and hauling her trunk onto the overhead luggage shelf.

She settled in as the boys followed suit, putting their luggage away and settling down, but Hermione noticed something was off. Peter looked anxious, almost worried, and he kept checking his watch. James, Sirius, and Remus were in the midst of a conversation about complex charms that Hermione had stopped following when they stopped answering her questions. She knew they were talking about the Marauder's Map, she'd seen a prototype stuffed in one of James' books. Of course, the other three were too caught up on their conversation to notice Peter's fidgeting, and when the train finally pulled away from the platform, he stood, moving towards the door.

"Where ya off to, Pete?" Sirius asked, looking up from their conversation.

"Gonna find the trolley. Tradition." He shrugged. And something clicked into place for Hermione. He'd been late to join the compartment on the way _to_ Hogwarts as well. No one had seen him on the platform, and Hermione had been asleep by the time he'd gotten back. It didn't take the trolley witch long to traverse the train, and Peter never really came back with many sweets. So he must be doing _something_ else. Something that would make him shift in his seat and check his watch.

Hermione waited about ten minutes after he left before she excused herself to go to the bathroom. She walked down the train, looking in the windows of compartments until she found that not only had the curtain drawn down over the window, but also filled her ears with a buzzing noise she was all too familiar with. She slipped into an empty compartment diagonal from the one in question and waited as, one by one, people began leaving it. When she saw Peter slip out, just after Mulciber, she knew she was correct. She opened the compartment door and pulled Peter inside, shutting the door and pulling the curtain, before pulling out her wand muttering the same spell she'd encountered on the other door.

"Hermione?" Peter asked, looking terrified.

"What the _hell_ are you doing with the likes of those death eater wannabes, Peter?" She asked, seething. She didn't put her wand away, and that seemed to make him even more nervous.

"I- I wasn't-"

"Don't lie to me. I watched several people come out of that compartment before you. Wilkes, Mulciber, Rosier. They're not exactly _quiet_ about their beliefs, now, are they?"

"Hermione, you don't understand-" Peter said, holding his hands up.

"Then you'd better start explaining," She said.

"I'm just playing the field, gathering intel." He said, stumbling over his words. "I'm a pureblood and yes, while I'm a gryffindor, most of them know I'm a follower, not a leader. It's the perfect guise." he said.

"They why are you shaking like a leaf? I told you not to lie to me." Hermione growled.

"I- I don't know what else to say." He told her, looking to the ground.

"Then I suggest you listen up. I've Seen things about the future, Peter. I know what's coming. If you keep messing with those death eaters, if you keep digging yourself deeper into this pile of shit, you will end up killing your best friends." Hermione warned.

"What?" Peter asked, his eyes widening.

"James and Lily. If you continue to play into Voldemort's hand, you will be responsible for their deaths. James, Sirius, and Remus trust you with their lives. And they are willing to lay down theirs for _you._ " She told him, moving closer to him and poking a finger into his chest.

"How- how could I-"

"And that's not all, Peter. Because if that happens, Sirius will come after _you_. You'll get away, but another of your friends will be sent to Azkaban, for your supposed murder."

"But- there's no way Sirius would kill me." Peter frowned.

"Oh he would try. But he would fail. And then he would be wrongfully imprisoned for _years_." she spat at him. "And then there's Remus. The person you _became an animagus for._ He would be left alone. James, dead. You, assumed dead. And Sirius, imprisoned for the murder of you both. You became an animagus so that Remus wouldn't have to be alone. And yet, the path you are on now, you'd might as well spit in his face and tell him to bugger off."

"I- Remus- Sirius- _James._ Because of- _me?_ " Peter asked, very close to tears.

"Yes. They would die for you, Peter. Know that. And remember that there are absolutely people in this world _worth dying for._ " Hermione told him, her voice quivering. She turned, ready to leave him standing there, shaking and contemplating the future when he spoke again.

"And you?" He said. She froze. "If I- stay on this path. What becomes of you?"

She hadn't given it much thought. She would be writing history with her presence in this timeline. She had no idea what to expect. But she could extrapolate.

"Dead. Or worse, enslaved. He knows about my visions, Voldemort. I think he seeks to use them in his exploits. But I wouldn't go willingly." Hermione allowed herself a grin. "I wouldn't go down without a fight. Can you say the same?"

She flung the compartment door open and stalked away, leaving Peter to crumple onto the floor of the compartment, a sobbing mess.


	21. The Letter

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _June 29, 1977 London, England - Diagon Alley, Sirius's Flat_

Sirius unlocked the door and pushed it open, picking up the box he'd sat down. James and Hermione were behind him, each carrying their own boxes. He walked into the dusty, one bedroom flat and sat his box on the island separating the kitchen and living area.

"Not a bad little place, mate. Sure you're ready to handle living on your own, though?" James asked, setting his box down by the wall.

"Yeah. I think I need this, you know? And when Uncle Alphard left me all that money- I knew this was the next step. I love your parents, James, and they've always been good to me, but I feel like a charity case there." Sirius said, leaning on the counter.

"Well, Mum told me to tell you you're always welcome for Sunday lunch. Or anytime, really." James said. Hermione sat her box on top of Sirius's and looked around the sparse flat.

"What are you going to do when you go back to school?" Hermione asked. Sirius shrugged.  
"The landlord knows I'm still in school, so he offered me half rent during the school he was rather desperate to rent the place out, really. I'll only be here on hols, anyway. It's just for a year, and a stasis charm should keep the dust at bay and the food from spoiling." He told her. She nodded.

"I'm proud of you," She said with a smile. "You've really thought this through." He grinned back at her.

"And I wanted you lot to know, you're more than welcome to stay with me, any time you need it. That goes for Lily, too, James." He said, seriously. James nodded, understanding that Sirius was offering his place up as a safehouse.

"So when's the housewarming party?" Hermione asked. Sirius snorted.

"Why do I need one of those?" He asked.

"I was under the impression that you liked to drink, and also enjoyed free stuff, though perhaps I was wrong." Hermione said, smirking at him.

"Drinking _and_ free stuff?" Sirius asked. "How do I do this?" Hermione chuckled.

"I'll help you out with the details." Hermione said.

"Have I mentioned how lost I'd be without you, 'Mione?" he asked, seriously.

"You don't need to. It's pretty obvious." Hermione said, crossing the room and pecking him on the cheek before opening the box on the counter and plucking her wand from her back pocket. She waved her wand and with a few quick incantations, the objects inside found their spots in the kitchen, enlarging themselves upon Hermione's spell.

"Well, are you two just gonna stand around, or are you going to unpack?" Hermione asked.

"Considering there's only two boxes, I didn't think there was that much to unpack." James said.

"Hermione helped me 's better at those kinds of spells than I am." Sirius grinned, looking at James. "The top box is the living room, bottom is bedroom."

"I'll let you handle your bedroom, Pads. Don't need to know what goes on in there, anyhow." James said, grabbing the top box and performing the same incantations Hermione had. Furniture, books, and even a few knick knacks flew out of the box, settling themselves into the once-bare room.

"Nice couch and tables, Pads." James said, appreciatively. ""Mione pick those too?"

"No, she didn't want leather, said it's too hard to maintain." Sirius chuckled.

"And you'll see what I mean before long." Hermione quipped.

"I swear, you two act like you're married already." James said, shaking his head.

"Oh, like you should talk!" Sirius said, "Lily has you wrapped around her little finger so tightly, sometimes I'm afraid you'll snap." he saw his friend blush at that, which made Sirius grin wider.

"So are you two official yet?" Hermione asked.

"I think so? She's stopped trying to get me to not kiss her in public anymore." James said. Hermione snorted.

"As adorable as that is, James, you need to talk to her." she laughed.

"I know. I'm just afraid she'll tell me to sod off," He said.

"Mate, she lets you kiss her in public. If she was going to tell you to sod off, she'd punch you for even trying that." Sirius said, shaking his head.

"You've got a point." He said. "Think she'll come to Peter's birthday party if I invite her?"

"If she doesn't come for you, she'll come for Hermione." Sirius said.

"Thanks for that vote of confidence, mate." James retorted.

"Any time. Could you pop back over to your house and double check our room, though, Prongs? I swear I packed that blanket Aunt Effie bought me in with the the living room stuff." Sirius said, looking around the room for something.

"I think it's on your bed, Pads, sure. But if you want alone time with your girl, all you have to do is say so." James said, dropping him a wink before heading out the door. Sirius shook his head, feeling a slight heat rising in his cheeks. Hermione looked him over.

"So you wanted alone time, eh?" She asked with a smile, padding over to him and looking up into his face. Sirius smiled down at her, his hand coming up to stroke her face softly.

"Of course I did." He said, his eyes locking with hers. "I wanted to tell you something."

"Oh?" Hermione asked, her eyebrows shooting up. "Something you couldn't say with James around? I'm shocked."

"Well, yeah. Nosey git doesn't need to know _all_ my personal matters, you know." Sirius said with a smirk. "I just wanted you to know, you're more than welcome to stay with me during the holidays." Hermione frowned.

"You already told us that." Hermione said. "Me and James both, just now. You said we're more than welcome to stay whenever we need to."

"I know. And that offer stands, love. But for you," He said, closing the space between them and leaning down, his face inches from hers. "You're welcome to stay whenever you _want_ to. And you get the added bonus of not having to crash on the couch." his voice had deepened, and he slipped a hand around Hermione's waist. He watched her blush and draw her bottom lip between her teeth and he couldn't help but kiss her. His eyes fluttered closed as he felt her slip her arms around his neck. The kiss was short, but it conveyed all the emotion Sirius had such a hard time expressing verbally.

"So you're say- you want me to sleep with you?" Hermione asked, when their lips parted. He rested his forehead against hers.

"I'd love for you to. But I want it to be on your time. You decide when the time is right. I'll be here, when you're ready." He said seriously. "And even if you just want to get away from Aunt Effie's sometime. I know you love cuddling, 'Mione, but if you _do_ need a place to crash, you can have my bed. I'll take the couch."

"Never knew you were such a gentleman, Sirius." She smiled.

"I try." He shrugged. They heard the door open again and looked over to see james coming in with a blanket over his arm and a letter in his hand.

"If you two are quite done making kissy faces at each other," James said, "We've gotten a letter. From Dumbledore. There's an open meeting for the Order. We've been invited."

"Where's it at?" Sirius said, breaking away from Hermione and striding across the small living room, taking the parchment and scanning it. Hermione had followed him and the three of them gathered around the paper.

"Well, this should be interesting." James said, scanning the names and address of the meeting.

"The Prewett boys have their own flat in muggle London?" Hermione asked.

"Must have moved out after graduation. Supposed that's why it's not till next month, to set their flat straight." Sirius said.

"Sirius." Hermione said, looking up at him. "You're not going to do anything stupid are you?"

"Define _stupid._ " He said.

"Punching Gideon in the face. Hexing Gideon in his own home. Generally acting like a buffoon at an Order meeting, open or otherwise." Hermione deadpanned.

"Now that you've made me aware that these are all things I should not do," Sirius said, "I won't. Doesn't mean I won't glare at Gideon from across the room, though." Sirius said, and Hermione groaned, looking to James for back up. He merely shrugged.

"Like I said, this should be interesting."

* * *

 _July 22, 1977 London, England - Prewetts' Flat_

Sirius and Hermione stood at the door to the Prewetts' flat, and Sirius knocked six times, as per the instructions. _Tap tap, tap tap, tap tap._ The door opened and Fabien ushered them in quietly, before shutting the door and turning to greet them.

"Sirius, Hermione, good to see you! James, Lily, Remus, and Peter showed up just before you. I assume that wasn't an accident?" He asked, smiling at them.

"You requested staggered arrival, you got staggered arrival." Sirius said, shaking the former Quidditch captain's hand.

"Dumbledore's not shown up yet, he should be here shortly. Everyone else is in the living room, just through there." Fabien said, pointing the way. Sirius and Hermione started to move away, but Fabien stopped them.

"Oh, and Hermione?" He said. "About what Gideon did at Slughorn's party… I'm just hearing about that. I wanted to apologize for my brother. I'll make sure he behaves." He told her.

"Thanks, Fabien." Hermione said with a smile, and Sirius made eye contact with the older boy, giving him a nod. Hermione took Sirius's hand and lead him into the next room. All the furniture had been moved against the walls, and all sorts of chairs were strewn about the room; Hermione spotted Lily and James talking to an older couple. Lily waved Hermione over to them and they scrunched together to make room for the two.

"Hermione, this is Frank and Alice Longbottom, they're aurors. Guys, this is James and Sirius's cousin, Hermione Potter." Lily said, introducing her. Hermione shook each of their hands in turn.

"Yes, I've heard a bit about you. Rumors fly when an exchange student comes to Hogwarts, you know." Alice said, smiling brightly. "We left Hogwarts about three years ago. Lily's right, we're aurors, but only just."

"Completed the training just last month." Frank said. "Been working for the Order between training. It's been great to be out there making a difference even though we couldn't do much by the book."

"How's the program?" James asked. "Is it as hard as they say?"

"Harder." Frank said. "N.E.W.T. level defense was _nothing_ compared to the first year."

"I think I want to do it." James said, looking to Sirius. Sirius nodded.

"Course you do, James. You never back down from a challenge, do you?" Sirius snorted, but quickly pulled himself together when the room went quiet. Dumbledore glided through the room and everyone found a seat as he looked out over the assembled party. There was close to twenty-five people crowded into the little flat, but there was a perfect silence as they waited for Dumbledore to speak.

"Welcome, friends of the Order. Many of you gathered here tonight," He began, trying to make eye contact with as many members of his audience as he could, "are still students, seeking to join the Order once you graduate. Others are sympathizers to our cause. And still, others are current members, who have been working along with me and the Ministry to track the movement and activity of the Dark group known as the Death Eaters, led by a man who calls himself Lord Voldemort." There were shivers and grumbles across the room at the mention of the name, but that did not stop Dumbledore from continuing.

"As such, this meeting was organized primarily for those seeking to join to make contacts within the Order. But know this: all of you here tonight have been entrusted to keep the Order a secret. Everything from where the meetings are held to who is a member, outside of meetings, is not relevant information. When you are inducted into the Order, you will take a vow. It is not quite as binding as an Unbreakable Vow, but it will make spilling secrets of the Order voluntarily extremely...unpleasant. Don't worry though, the vow itself is painless, and as long as your intentions are pure, you will not have to worry about the vow."Dumbledore's gaze drifted over Remus and Peter, sitting together on the other side of the room, for a long moment. When he finally broke his gaze, he clapped once, smiling.

"Right! On with the festivities, I believe there is food in the kitchen. Please, do mingle, chat. Making contacts is never a bad idea, indeed." Dumbledore said, striding amongst the crowd and headed for the kitchen, where Sirius could smell something akin to a stew cooking. He met Hermione's gaze and she gave him a half-scared look.

"Still feel up to doing this?" She asked.

"If it means protecting the ones I love, of course." Sirius said, squeezing her hand. "Now let's go get some of that stew."

* * *

 _Later That Night, London, England - Diagon Alley_

Sirius and Hermione had decided to stay the night at his flat after the Open Meeting, given it was closer than the Potter residence and Hermione hadn't wanted Sirius travelling alone. He'd offered the couch to James and Lily as well, but James had insisted on taking Lily home, and Remus and Peter were staying with James for the summer, anyway.

Hermione had never been in Diagon Alley after dark, and Sirius could tell she was a bit nervous about the experience. As they walked quickly down the cobblestone street, Sirius had the inexplicable feeling of being followed, the hairs on the back of his neck raising. He held Hermione's hand as they walked, and he felt her squeeze his hand, something she didn't normally do out of the blue unless trying to get his attention. She sensed it, too, then. Sirius passed up the turnoff to his flat, not wanting to lead whomever was tailing them straight to his flat. He noticed Hermione reaching for her wand and squeezed her hand. She looked up at him, and he shook his head once. _Not yet._ He thought. He took the next side road, trying to make a circle and hopefully see who was tracking them.

As they turned the corner, Sirius saw three shadows behind them. Shit, they were outnumbered. They were slightly head, and he decided to take a chance and whisper to Hermione after they turned the corner.

"We'll turn at the next street, about face and draw our wands. Okay?" he whispered. Hermione squared her jaw and nodded, squeezing his hand once more. They kept their pace steady and Sirius fought to keep his hand away from his wand until the last possible moment. Adrenaline was coursing through his system as they approached the turn.

As quickly as they had turned, Hermione and Sirius drew their wands, pointing them back towards the direction they came from. Sirius watched the three shadows approaching. They wore masks, and black cloaks. Death Eaters.

"How very clever," Said the tallest one. Hermione knew that voice, and even if she didn't, the long blonde hair visible despite his robes gave him away. "Unfortunately, it seems you're out numbered." Lucius Malfoy drawled.

"Get the girl."


	22. First and Last

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _J_ _uly 22, 1977 London, England - Diagon Alley_

" _Expelliarmus!_ " Sirius yelled, flicking his wand at the three Death Eaters. One of the wands flew away, sending the man to the left of Malfoy skittering after it. The man to his right, and Malfoy himself, though, had managed to throw up shield charms just in time.

" _Stupefy!"_ Hermione called, sending a jet of red at the disarmed man. He ducked, missing the spell by inches.

" _Locomotor mortis!_ " Sirius called, advancing on Malfoy. The older man blocked his advance with a silent shield charm and countered the attack with a stunner.

" _Protego!_ "Hermione shouted, shielding them both.

"Honestly, Black, hand over the girl, and you can go free." Malfoy said, sounding annoyed.

" _Stupefy!"_ he sent the stunner at the wizard on Malfoy's right, clipping his shoulder and knocking him back. The other had still been unable to find his wand. Malfoy swore.

"Damn it, Wilkes. I knew I should have brought Mulciber instead." He said, " _Accio wand_." He grabbed the wand as it flew up to him, it's owner running to retrieve it. Malfoy sent a couple nonverbal spells at Hermione, but Hermione's shield charms held true.

"I won't _hand over_ my girlfriend to the likes of you, Malfoy." Sirius spat.

"Girlfriend?" he said, throwing up a nonverbal shield when Sirius sent a stunner his way. "Well, that's quite the interesting development."

" _Confringo!_ " the wizard on Malfoy's right shouted, casting his first offensive spell. It went awry and blasted apart the concrete front of a second-hand robe shop, sending glass and rubble everywhere. Sirius sent another stunning spell at the boy as the blasting curse collided with the building, and this time, the spell made contact with the boy's chest. The dust and debris hanging in the air forced them to stop shooting spells at each other, due to a lack of visibility, but that wasn't the only thing that ceased the fire fight. The noise had begun to alert residents and shop owners, though so while the debris was clearing, there was movement elsewhere on the street. Up and down the road, lights were flicking on and people were coming out in their night clothes, wands drawn. Malfoy looked up and down the street, seeing he was clearly out numbered. He rushed to the fallen Death Eater and pulled him up bodily.

"Fall back, Wilkes," Malfoy told the other boy before turning on the spot and disappearing with a _pop_. The other man lowered his wand and followed his orders, disapperating.

Sirius and Hermione were suddenly surrounded with people, several asking if they were okay. A few residents, though, such as the owner of the second-hand robe shop that was now partially destroyed, were angry and trying to get to bottom of things. Hermione looked to Sirius, worried, when they heard a booming voice above the crowd.

"Alright, alright, settle down and clear out. Show's over." the voice came. Sirius had never been so glad to hear the voice of Alastor Moody in his life. He'd been at the Order meeting, of course, and he'd been thrilled to get a chance to meet one of the greatest aurors of all time.

"Mr. Corner, I assure you, I've already notified on-duty aurors and they will be here within the hour to take a full damage report and assist with the damage." Moody told the angry man, waving him off before heading toward Hermione and Sirius.

"Miss Potter and Mr. Black. Fancy meeting you here. Come with me." Moody said, jerking his head back in the direction from which he came. "You live around here, right, Black?"

"Yes sir, just up the road." he told him.

"Right, lead the way, then." he said. "We need to have a talk about this mess away from prying ears." Sirius stopped.

"How do I know you're really Alastor Moody?" He asked. Moody turned around, a broad smile on his face.

"Good man. Alright, how's this for proof: tonight, when asked about acclimating to my wooden leg, I told you and Frank Longbottom that it wouldn't be so bad if I could keep the termites off it."

"And it's just as funny now as it was then." Sirius said.

"Alright, I live in the flat above Arkie Alderton's Kwik-Repair Shop, sir."

"Lead on."

The three walked the short distance to Sirius's flat, Moody locking the door behind them as they entered. Sirius then explained what had happened to them while Hermione made tea for them all. After Sirius was finished explaining, he and Hermione sat quietly, watching Moody carefully as he paced.

"Firstly, I'd like to express my pride in you two. You took on three Death Eaters, even identified one, and lived to tell the tale. On top of that, you retained the presence of mind, Black, to interrogate me before inviting me back to your base of operations. Well done. You'd make a fine auror some day.

"Secondly, I will be reporting this incident back to Dumbledore, and I'd advise you, Miss. Potter, to not travel alone. I'm not going to suggest you lock yourself away, by any means, that's just naive. But there is power in numbers."

"Yes, sir. I almost never travel alone these days, anyway." Hermione said.

"With You-Know-Who after you, that's wise. I'd best be off, though. It's late. Remember, you two, keep your heads down." He said, before stalking out of the flat.

Hermione sighed, leaning her head on Sirius's shoulder.

"Still sure you want to do this?" She asked.

"Never more sure." he told her, kissing her forehead.

* * *

 _August 5, 1977 London, England - Sirius's Flat_

Sirius paced back and forth, his anger just barely in check. He'd gotten a letter from his brother a week before, asking to meet with him. There was something he needed to tell him, something important. So Sirius had agreed; he had been meaning to have his brother over anyway. He wanted him to be able to come to him if he needed to. But now, Sirius wished he'd never agreed to meet with him.

"What do you mean, you _knew_?" Sirius asked, his voice low and calm, but barely concealing rage.

"I mean, I knew there was a plan to attack you and Hermione. I'm sorry I wasn't able to get to you in time to warn you." He said.

"How long? How long did you know about the plan?" Sirius asked, searching for reasons to be rational.

"A couple hours before." He told him.

"You knew a couple _hours_ before the attack? And you didn't owl me, didn't contact me in _any way?_ "

"Sirius, I wasn't able to. There was literally no way."

"And why the fuck not, Reg? What were you doing that was so important that you couldn't pick up a quill and write to me?" He spat, venom in his tone.

"I was there, Sirius." Regulus said coldly. "I was part of the attack. Lucius and Wilkes, they were the other two. I was the third."

"You were-" Sirius stopped dead. "You were _part_ of the attack?" Regulus nodded once. "So you were the one that shot that blasting curse at us?" He yelled.

"Not at you." Regulus corrected. "At the shop. I knew the explosion would wake people up and force a retreat. You two were far enough from the shop that you wouldn't have been hurt."

That stopped Sirius yet again. He thought back on that night. He'd sent a stunner at the bloke who'd cast the confringo, and he clearly remembered Malfoy having to side-along disapparate him because of it. Sirius padded to a chair and plopped down into it.

"So I stunned you?" He said, his tone falling flat.

"Yes." Regulus said. "And I couldn't be more grateful that you did." Sirius's head popped up at that.

"What?" He asked, looking up into his brother's face. "Why?"

"It gave me an excuse not to curse you and Hermione. I cast the blasting curse, and that proved to Malfoy that I was willing to go toe to toe with my brother. It's secured my position as a future Death Eater, Sirius. If I'm going to do this, if I'm going to protect you and Hermione, and the rest, the best way I have to do it is to join them."

Sirius thought it over. He knew his brother was right. Reg couldn't just outright join the Order, not after years of strategizing and manipulating his way into the folds of the Death Eaters. Regardless of whether or not he sympathized with their ideals, he was in a position to help the Order by feeding them information. Sirius knew how valuable that inside information could be.

"You know how dangerous this will be, right?" Sirius asked. Regulus nodded.

"Yes. I know." He told him, both sets of grey eyes locking on each other.

"I can't promise I won't have to duel you." Sirius said.

"I know, that, too. I'll do everything in my power to not hurt you, but I have to keep up appearances." He said.

"I understand." He told his brother, then cracked a wry smile. "Just keep the Avada Kedavra's away from me, would you?" Regulus managed a sad smile.

"Of course, bro."

* * *

 _September 1, 1977 London, England - Platform 9 ¾_

Sirius and James made their way down the train, finding their usual compartment empty. Sirius had just finished hoisting his and Hermione's trunks onto the storage rack when a thought that both excited him and made him nervous crossed his mind.

"You know, it feels weird. This is our last Hogwarts Express." Sirius said.

"We've still got Christmas, and Easter, Pads. Not to mention the train ride home in June." James pointed out.

"Yeah, but I mean, this is the last time we're leaving for the start of a school year, isn't it? It's just sort of surreal to think that this time next year, we won't be on this train." Sirius said, plopping down in the seat.

"Suppose you're right. It _is_ our last first train. If that makes sense?" James shook his head, sitting down across from Sirius. "Do you remember our first Hogwarts Express?"

"How could I forget?" Sirius laughed. "It was the first time I met your sorry arse. Been stuck with you ever since."

"First time we met Lily, too. Can you believe it, seven years later, I'm dating the girl who was best friends with that little greaseball Snivellus?" James shook his head in disbelief. Sirius snorted.

"I'd say it was good that those two went their separate ways, but have you noticed he _watches_ her?" Sirius asked.

"What do you mean, mate?" James asked, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Whenever they're in the same room, it's like he's fixated on her. You think he might have loved her, before that whole shitshow fifth year?"

"Obsessed, more like it." James said with a huff. "You don't call someone you love a Mudblood."

"Hermione told me he's tried apologizing time and time again. She won't have it." Sirius said.

"Do you blame her? Bloke's a Death Eater. Who needs friends like that?" James said, but then his face froze. Sirius's eyes darkened and he turned his head away.

"Blimey, Pads, I didn't mean to insinuate- about your brother-" he said, looking down.

"No, I know, James." He said, looking up and smiling to reassure his best friend. "It's just that sometimes, I know how Lily feels, you know? She grew up with him. And now they've gone their separate ways."

"At least you're brother's not a right prat." James muttered. Sirius laughed at that.

"Oh, he has his moments." he said. "But he seems to care for Hermione, whatever his reasons."

"Don't think he'll try and steal your girl, do you?" James asked.

"I think he knows I'd kill him if he tried. And Hermione-" Sirius sighed. "Well, I don't _think_ she's the type of girl to do that."

"Type of girl to do what?" Hermione asked, sliding the the door open and walking in, plopping down next to Sirius.

"Nothing." Sirius said, suddenly, "Don't you worry about it."

"Yes, because that doesn't make me even _more_ suspicious, Sirius." She rolled her eyes. Remus and Peter had followed her through the door, Lily not far behind. Lily sat down next to James and beamed around the compartment at them all.

"This is it." She said, as the train started moving. "Our last year. Are you all ready?"

"No." Sirius said, looking out the window absently as the platform slipped away behind them. "I don't think I am."


	23. What Do I Know?

**_A/N: Thanks again to my wonderful beta, ohnobetty. If you haven't checked her out, I highly suggest her story, Albus & The Wolf. _**

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _October 29, 1977 Hogsmeade, Scotland - The Three Broomsticks_

Hermione watched as Sirius brought her a second pint butterbeer, leaving behind James, who was trying desperately to persuade Madame Rosmerta to sell him a shot of firewhiskey. Sirius slid into their booth, handing Hermione her pint and shaking his head at James.

"He'll never learn, will he?" Remus asked from his spot on the other side of Hermione.

"Takes a lot to get through that thick skull of his, I've found." Lily said, chuckling. Peter sat on one side of her, the other side reserved for James. "Anyway, I'm glad Dumbledore decided that you're allowed to come to Hogsmeade this year, Hermione. It wasn't any fun shopping with the boys last year."

"Thank goodness for aurors. But I thought that Mary and Emmaline came with you a few times last year, didn't they?" Hermione asked, taking a sip of her butterbeer.

"Yes, but for some reason," She said, looking over to James attempting to flirt his way to some firewhiskey, "they aren't very fond of James." Hermione giggled.

"He definitely takes some getting used to." She said. "How are your classes?"

"Dreadful." Lily said, "Except Charms, of course."

"Except Charms?" Sirius asked. "Have you _been_ in the same Charms class I have? It may all be revisions, but I couldn't do most of what Flitwick said _last_ year."

"Maybe if you stopped staring at Hermione and scribbling her name in your notebook-" Remus said, and Hermione had to duck to avoid the smack that she knew was headed for him.

"Sirius, I know about your notebook." Hermione rolled her eyes. "How many times have I edited your essays in that thing?"

"Yeah- but-" He was blushing. He crossed his arms and looked away, and James picked that moment to return to his seat.

"Who broke Pads?" He sighed, looking around the table.

"Me." Hermione said, "Again. He really should come with an instruction manual, you know."

"Good luck with that one." Sirius said, "Not even _I_ know how I work sometimes."

"You know," Lily said, "I always wondered where you four got those silly nicknames. When do I get to hear that story?"

James and Sirius shared a look, and then they both looked to Remus. He sighed, nodding.

"Tonight. But not here." He said, and Hermione knew just as well as the boys where they would be going.

* * *

 _That Night, Room of Requirement_

"Okay." Lily said, and Hermione could see she was trying to remain calm. "So Remus is a-"

"A werewolf, yes." James said, calmly. He was holding her hand and talking softly, trying not to startle her. Remus sat a bit away from her, just in case her reaction was bad. She stood, slowly. James let her go, but Sirius and Hermione kept an eye on her as she walked to Remus.

"Remus?" She said. He looked up at her, and she slapped him across the face. Sirius started to get up but Remus held up a hand to stop him. "That was for lying to me. I've felt so awful for your poor mother the last seven years. I should have been worrying about _you_ instead." she said, hugging him.

"Women." Sirius said to James, and he just shrugged.

"I'm sorry for lying to you, Lils." Remus said, "But it was necessary. Dumbledore forbade me to speak of it, and even if he hadn't, I don't think it would go over well if my 'furry little problem' was public knowledge."

"I understand." She said, returning to her seat.

"So you don't- hate me?" Remus asked, with a wince.

"Why would I hate you for something you can't control?" Lily asked. Remus grinned at that.

"You know, I either have the most accepting friends in the world." He grinned, looking around at them. "Or the stupidest."

"Both is always an option, Moony. Never forget both." Sirius chuckled.

"So that's where Moony comes from. What about the others?" Lily asked. James, Sirius, and Peter stood up, walking away from the group of chairs to change into their animagi forms.

"When they finally worked out what I was, they decided they wanted to be with me on the nights of the full moon. Obviously, they couldn't be with me in human form- but as _animals_ -"

"So you became animagi." Lily said, looking over the stag, dog, and rat before her. Hermione stood, walking over to the three.

"Peter transforms into Wormtail, a rat." Hermione said, picking up her small friend and putting him up on a chair so Lily could see him better. "Sirius is Padfoot, a dog. And James is a stag, Prongs." she said, reaching down and scratching Padfoot behind the ears.

"You told Hermione before you told me?" Lily asked, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at the stag. Prongs, seeing how upset she was, immediately transformed back into James, and returned to Lily.

"Hey, now, we didn't tell that sneaky witch _anything_." He said. The other boys returned to their human forms, as well. Sirius shook himself, much like Padfoot would, and wrapped an arm around Hermione's waist.

"I'm still not entirely sure how she puzzled it out, myself." He said, looking her over.

"You decided to change in the gardens where anyone looking out of the window in the library could see, it really wasn't that hard to figure out, all things considered." Hermione said, rolling her eyes. Sirius shrugged.

"So now you know, Lils. And by the way, we'd appreciate this not going any further than us." Sirius said.

"Turns out, being an unregistered animagus is sort of illegal. Who knew?" James smirked.

"And to think, Dumbledore made _you_ Head Boy." Lily said, shaking her head. "Speaking of, we have rounds. Come on."

"How have you managed these rounds for this long, Moony?" James said, standing after Lily.

"Just got used to it, I suppose." Remus shrugged with a grin.

"I still can't believe I've been walking past a secret room for years." Lily said, looking around the room.

"Lily, let me just tell you, I know this place like the back of my hand. People who snog in broom closets aren't half as creative as me." James said, waggling her eyebrows.

"It's true." Sirius said, "I've told him all the good places to take a girl to snog. He's rather lacking in that area, if I recall." Sirius ducked a pillow James threw at him with a laugh.

"Well, perhaps after our rounds, you'll just have to show me?" Lily said, giving James a look before opening the door and leaving the room.

"You'd better go after her mate, I'd take her at her word on that." Sirius chuckled when James blushed a bit.

"See you," he muttered to his friends before hurrying after Lily, closing the door behind him.

"Is it just me, or does it seem like those two were made for each other?" Hermione asked, sitting down on the couch, Sirius plopping down next to her.

"I'd agree, Hermione." Remus chuckled. "I'm rather surprised she's taken to him so well."

"I've been wondering how long it'll be until James proposes, at this point." Sirius chuckled.

"I don't think that will happen for a while," Remus said, frowning. "James is reckless, but I don't think he'd jump into something like that. I'd say maybe this time next year."

"He's a romantic. I wouldn't be surprised if he popped the question on Valentine's Day." Sirius said.

"Ten galleons says he asks her just after we graduate." Hermione said. Sirius, Peter, and Remus all looked at Hermione like she'd sprouted wings.

"Did- did you just make a bet?" Sirius asked.

"Of course I did." Hermione said. "If James and Remus can bet on our relationship, I'll be damned if I won't bet on James and Lily's." she said with a smirk.

"You're on. Ten galleons, it is, but I stand by my reasoning." Sirius said.

"I think we've had a bad influence on her, Padfoot." Peter said.

"She's my girl, of course we have." He said, smiling at Hermione. There was an adoration in his eyes that gave Hermione butterflies. "Who knows, maybe one day you'll marry me, Hermione."

She flushed, ducking her head into his shoulder to hide her face.

"Maybe." She murmured, but she didn't see the broad grin on Sirius face.

* * *

 _November 18, 1977 Hogwarts, Scotland - Gryffindor Girls' Dormitory_

Hermione was awoken in the middle of the night by a gentle shake. She opened her eyes to find Lily in her dressing robe and pajamas, and seemingly on the edge of a breakdown. Hermione pulled herself up, grabbed her wand and dressing gown, and ushered the other girl out of the room, towards the common room.

"I'm sorry I woke you up, Hermione, I just-" Lily said, on the verge of tears.

"Don't be sorry, you obviously need a friend." Hermione said, sitting down on the couch next to Lily and putting a hand on her shoulder. " _Accio handkerchief,_ " Hermione said, summoning a handkerchief from her trunk and handing it to Lily after it zoomed to her hand. "Now, what's going on?"

"It's Severus." Lily said, and Hermione frowned.

"I thought you were through with him?" Hermione said.

"I _am,_ Hermione, but he won't leave me alone! He sat outside the common room waiting for me to get back from my rounds tonight. And it's not the first time it's happened! Last year, he threatened to sleep in the hall by the portrait hole if I didn't come out and talk to him." She said, her eyes red.

"That- that sounds very obsessive." Hermione said, worriedly. Lily smiled wryly.

"That's Sev. He throws all his energy into things he deems important. To the point of being obsessive about it. It's why he's so good at potions. And why he's so well-respected in the Death Eater circles. Some see his drive as ambition. He wants so bad to make up for his father's bullshit." She shook her head. "What do I do, Hermione?"

Hermione thought about it for a few minutes. She knew nothing of what happened to create the Snape she knew. She was just as lost as the girl sitting in front of her.

"Lily, I don't know." She murmured. "Does James-?"

"No." She said quickly. "James doesn't know, and please don't tell him. He'd track Sev down and threaten him, or worse. And as mad as I am at hi, as much as he's wronged me-" Lily started crying again.

"You still care about him, don't you?"Hermione asked. Lily nodded.

"I'm so worried about him. The Sev I knew, the Sev I grew up with- he was a good person. I don't know what happened over the years, but something _changed_ him. He started studying the Dark Arts, making the wrong friends. Then one day, he called me a Mudblood and I knew." She said, shaking her head. "I knew we'd grown apart beyond repair. Mary sat with me for days while I cried. He was my best friend, how could he do that to me? Now, he's lost me and I think-" She smirked. "I think on some level, he realized that I was the last safety net for him. I was the last one who could pull him out of the shit he's gotten himself into."

"I know what you mean." Hermione said, thinking of Regulus and Sirius. "But you can't keep this up if he doesn't want out." Hermione said. "Unless...do you think he does?" Lily barked a laugh.

"I doubt it. At least, not yet. I really hope that one day, he comes to see how horrible he's been." She said.

"Lily, have you told him that you'd be there for him, if he finds himself on the wrong side of Voldemort?" Hermione asked carefully.

"No." Lily said, thoughtfully. "I told him that he's chosen his way and I've chosen mine. And it's true. Should he decide he was wrong, though, and want to change… perhaps I'll owl him and let him know where I stand on that." Lily said. "Thank you for getting up with me, Hermione."

"Of course, Lily. I wouldn't just leave you crying by yourself all night." She said. "That's not what friends do." Hermione told her, hugging Lily.

"I'm so glad I met you, Hermione." she murmured, squeezing her tightly.

"Me too."


	24. A Christmas to Remember

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _December 24, 1977 London, England - Sirius's Flat_

Sirius didn't have a Christmas tree in his flat, but he did have a pile of presents next to the fireplace. Most of the presents were to be given out the next day at the Potter residence. James had told Sirius that if he didn't show up to Christmas dinner, he wouldn't be getting anything he or Lily bought him, and the same applied for Hermione. So, of course, the couple were obligated to show up at their favorite aunt's house for Christmas.

But Sirius was very surprised when Hermione had taken him up on his offer and decided to stay with him during the break. Of course, it had taken some convincing; Hermione had to owl Aunt Effie and explain things, something that neither had had the courage to do yet. Sirius smirked as he realized he'd been officially dating his cousin for ten months and his aunt didn't even know until a few weeks ago.

Thankfully, though, after Hermione and Sirius had both received a Howler from Aunt Effie for not telling her sooner, she was allowed to stay for the holidays.

And Sirius was positive that was the best Christmas present he could ask for. Hermione had stolen his bed, and though he cuddled with her for hours some nights, he always took to the couch once she fell asleep. He didn't want to risk making her uncomfortable. Even now, as Hermione curled up beside him with her head on his shoulder, he made a decided effort not to be too handsy. He'd rub her back or her side every now and again, but for the most part, he kept his hands to himself.

She was reading _The Daily Prophet,_ and Sirius was reading over her head. They'd made a habit of checking the paper each day for deaths. Hermione folded the paper back up and threw it on the table, sighing heavily.

"Hey, I was still reading that." Sirius said.

"Sorry, I just-" She sighed. "I can't stand not being able to help these people, you know? I want to be out there, already." Sirius rubbed her back, reassuringly.

"I know, 'Mione, believe me, I do too." He told her. "But we can't do anything until we're out of school. Just a few more months, and we're home free. Official Order members." Hermione nodded, placing a hand on his thigh. The sudden contact made him flinch slightly; she'd been giving him the same space he'd granted her. She pulled her hand back as though she'd been burned, but hid her face in his shoulder.

"Sorry." she murmured. He frowned, looking down at her.

"Why are you sorry?" he asked.

"It's just- well, you haven't been touching me very much. I thought, maybe you didn't want me to touch you very much either, and-" Hermione said, blushing. Sirius chuckled, lifting her chin so she would meet his eyes, but she looked away.

"Hermione, look at me, please." He crooned, a smile on his face. Her eyes finally met his, and he saw an uncertain look in her eyes. He knew she was lost and probably had close to no experience with this kind of thing. While Sirius had made out with half of Gryffindor, and fondled quite a few of them while he was at it, he'd never gone all the way. "I was trying to give you space so that I didn't make you uncomfortable, love." Sirius said, his hand moving from her chin to her neck, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on her cheek.

"So you weren't touching me because you thought I wouldn't like it?" Hermione asked, frowning.

"Yes. This whole thing, you staying here- it's a big step, even if it's just for the holidays. I didn't want to make it harder on you or make it seem like I only wanted you here for… physical reasons." He said. "It's why I've been sleeping on the couch." Hermione's eyes widened, seemingly in realization.

"And here I thought you were being standoffish. You were just being a gentleman!" she said. Sirius chuckled again.

"I am capable of being a decent human being, you know." he told her.

"So does this mean-" Hermione blushed bright red and buried her face in his shoulder again. Sirius raised his eyebrows at that.

"Does this mean what?" He inquired.

"Does this mean that if I asked you to sleep in the bed with me, you would?" She said, choosing her words carefully.

"Of course, love." Sirius smiled down at her. "You know I love cuddling with you. Waking up next to you would just make my morning better. But," he grinned, running the back of his fingers over her reddened cheeks. "That's not what caused you to blush. What did?"

"I'll sound stupid." Hermione murmured into his shoulder.

"You could never sound stupid, Hermione, you're one of the smartest people I know." he said.

"When I was thinking of that question, I was going to ask, 'Does this mean you'll sleep with me if I ask.' And that… the connotation isn't what I had intended." Sirius laughed, kissing her forehead.

"You know, I'm not sure if that's a side effect of your exposure to James and I, or if your mind is just naturally in the gutter." He told her.

"To use your own words against you, both is always an option, Padfoot. Never forget both." She grinned up at him with a twinkle of mischief in her eye and Sirius felt his stomach tighten involuntarily.

Hearing his nickname from Hermione wasn't a new thing; she'd adopted it and used it just as much as any of their friends, except Lily, who still hadn't warmed up to their names for each other yet. No, it wasn't his nickname itself that caused his reaction, it was the tone behind it. It was so very different from the tone he normally associated with that name. Ordinarily, _Padfoot_ was a name that spoke of friendship and brotherhood. When Hermione used it just now though… it made him want to hear her say it again. It made him want to _make_ her say it again. He bit his lower lip and Hermione's eyes widened as she took in his expression.

"For the record, love," Sirius said, looking into her eyes. "All you have to do is ask. And I mean that about anything. If you want me to touch you, just say so and I'll be more than happy to oblige." Hermione's cheeks darkened and she looked down.

"And if I want to touch you?" She asked. Sirius broke into a wide grin. In response, he took Hermione's hand and placed it on his chest. He looked down at her.

"If you ever want to touch me, love, you're more than welcome to." He kissed her forehead again, then moved to whisper in her ear. "And that goes for _anywhere_ you want to touch me." He heard her breathing hitch as he let go of her hand, running his knuckles along her arm. She surprised him, closing her fist around his shirt and pulling him closer, her mouth finding his. Sirius smiled through the kiss and Hermione nipped at his bottom lip.

"What are you smiling at?" She said, one hand making its way up to curl itself into his long hair.

"Your enthusiasm. I didn't think it would be quite so… abundant." he chuckled. She kissed him again, softer this time.

"I just like being this close to you." Hermione said. "And from the looks of it," She said, running her hand down his chest, ever lower until she reached a telling bulge in his jeans. It took everything he had in him not to buck his hips up into her touch. He inhaled sharply, biting his lip to keep in a moan. "You like it, too."

"I don't know _how_ you learned to drive me crazy with a single touch," Sirius said, his face close to hers, "but for the love of Merlin, keep it up." Hermione giggled.

"Padfoot?" she asked softly, her hand slowly making its way back towards his chest, slipping under his shirt as she went. She used his nickname again, and it sent chills up his spine.

"Yes, love?" he choked out, trying his best to keep his voice even.

"You're allowed to touch me, too, you know." She murmured, smiling up at him.

"Oh, is that so?" He smirked, hooking an arm around her and pulling her closer to him. Her breathing hitched and he kissed her, turning his head to deepen the kiss further than he was sure they had ever done before. He sighed a bit when he felt Hermione grab hold of his shirt, lifting it slightly. He let his hands wander, mostly above her clothes until they were both comfortable. When Hermione worked up the courage to tug his shirt over his head, Sirius took her by surprise and pushed her back on the couch, pinning her beneath him.

"You still sure you want this?" He asked her with a grin, his long hair framing his face. He peppered her jaw line before she could answer, moving first up her chin, then down her neck. He laughed when Hermione muttered something unintelligible. "You really must speak up, love."

"Damn it, Pads, you're driving me crazy." she said, arching her back and giving him better access to her neck.

"As much as I love hearing you say my nickname, Hermione," Sirius said, his hands trailing up her stomach, pulling her shirt up with it. "I want to hear you say my real name."

"That so?" She gasped, lifting herself up so Sirius could remove her shirt. "You gonna give me a reason to?"

Sirius smirked, returning his attention to her neck, but slowly moving his mouth down towards her chest. He reached behind her and unsnapped her bra with practiced ease. He'd been around that block a time or two, after all. She helped him, shrugging the garment off before looking up at him, exposed from the waist up. He looked her over for a long minute before his hands began wandering again, this time to play with her nipples. His mouth returned to her skin as well, finding its way along her chest and eventually settling on one nipple while his hand busied itself with the other.

"Fuck. Pads-" Hermione gasped.

"I _told_ you, Hermione." He said, nibbling gently on a nipple. "It's Sirius." She whimpered a bit, but then moaned when Sirius began licking and sucking again. The hand on her other breast slowly began to trail downward. He trailed his fingers down her stomach, finally reaching the waistband of her soft pajama pants and looking up at her.

"Is this okay?" he asked, sliding his finger into her waistband for emphasis.

"Yes." She said, looking down at him. He smiled and pulled her pants down and off, throwing them onto a nearby chair. He looked over her blue cotton panties running a hand over the front of them, before moving back to her mouth. He kissed her deeply, one hand playing with her nipple, and then, only then, when he felt he'd worked her up, did he touch her pussy.

He rubbed her gently over her panties at first, trying to gauge what she liked. She started bucking into his hand he smiled.

"What is it, Hermione?" He crooned. She was like putty in his hands and they both knew it.

"You're wearing too much, Pads." She moaned.

"You're a persistent one, aren't you?" he said, pulling her panties to the side to get a look at her wet pussy. He looked up at her with a wicked smile before leaning down and tasting her. She gasped, her hands burying themselves in his hair and holding on for dear life. He twirled his tongue around her sensitive nub and applied pressure when he felt her buck up against him. He pulled her closer to him, his hands moving to her taut nipples once again. His hands and tongue were moving at such a pace that Hermione's hands fisted in Sirius's hair, though he didn't mind. He took it as a compliment, really.

"Pads-" Hermione's voice came, desperate, and Sirius stopped all his efforts at once.

"I told you, love." He said, calm, but deep. "My name…" He took one finger and carefully pushed it inside her. He didn't meet the barrier he'd been expecting, but that was better for her, he supposed. He squeezed another finger in, slowly, beside the other.

"Is Sirius." He said, as he began to pump his two fingers in and out of her. Hermione gasped, her hips bucking and her back arching as he used his other hand to rub her clit in small circle.

"Sirius!" She moaned. "I'm- I'm gonna-!"

"Come one then," He told her, softly. "Come."

And she did, with one long moan, she called his name again as she came. Sirius helped her ride out her orgasm as long as he was able, finally pulling his fingers out of her once she's calmed.

"See, that wasn't so hard, now was it?" He said, smirking down at her.

"We'll see if you can say the same when I'm through with you." Hermione said, panting, but Sirius saw a fire in her eye. He smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

"Let's take this to the bedroom, shall we?"


	25. Visionary

**_A/N: My goodness, sorry about the wait on this one. Things got really busy for a hot minute on my server and in life._**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _January 24, 1978 Hogwarts, Scotland - Room of Requirement_

Hermione sat in the middle of the open room on a cushion in the floor. She'd been trying different meditation techniques and Seeing techniques that she'd read up on, and she just couldn't figure it out. She had to work on this when she knew she wouldn't be interrupted by Sirius and the boys, and she couldn't have Lily finding out either. So she waited until Lily was asleep and snuck out of her dorm each month on the night of the full moon, going to the one place she knew no one else would find her.

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. She was distracting herself from what she needed to do, and she knew she didn't have much time. There was a candle in front of her and she focused her attention on that.

"Okay," She murmured to herself, taking a deep breath. "It'll work this time. It has to."

She dropped her gaze to the flame flickering atop the candle in front of her. She'd read about scrying using reflective surfaces, a pool of water, a mirror, a crystal ball, but none of that seemed _right_ to Hermione. She read up on other scrying techniques, and had tried out several earlier in the school year, all to little or no avail. But she hadn't tried flame. For whatever reason, she'd dismissed it as impractical. It wasn't until she'd read in depth about pyromancy that she realized the focus required to perform it could actually benefit her in her efforts.

She exhaled slowly, gazing into the flame and clearing her mind of all but the flame. She adopted the breathing pattern she'd learned to use when meditating, and relaxed. When she felt at ease, she peeled away the thin barriers holding back the visions. The first barrier had broken when she was sent into the coma. This new barrier was one she took down nightly, allowing all the visions and dreams that make come to her to flow freely. Unfortunately, of late, they'd all been Muggle killings and shadowy meetings of no real note. She'd get a glimpse of an Order meeting, or some event her friends were planning, too, and that served to confuse her. How were the visions organized? Why was she seeing these things? She pondered these questions as she removed the barrier and let the visions flood her vision.

Perhaps it was based on trigger words? She'd had the vision about Peter when his name was spoken, after all. She thought back to her first few episodes. The first time she'd seen them, she was in the Department of Mysteries time room, and it had looked like an overlay, a place-memory. The second time, in Dumbledore's office, was much the same, only she'd seen Dumbledore there as well. Perhaps it was a place memory in conjunction with a person being present, on that occasion, as her most recent vision she had concluded came about with a trigger word. A name. But one incident stuck out to her: the time Gideon had found her on the third floor corridor. Why had she gotten a vision then? There was nothing special about the third floor corridor, and nothing connected to the vision. The vision had been of some old manor. But what was it they were talking about?

Lucius Malfoy. In Hogsmeade. That was the vision that had gotten her banned from Hogsmeade trips. She tried to think about what happened just before the vision, but all she could remember was being so dizzy, she had to hold onto a statue.

"The statue!" she murmured aloud. It was the One-Eyed Witch statue, the one that lead to the cellar of Honeydukes. It was a stretch, but perhaps she saw the statue and her subconscious had triggered the vision because of it's relation to Hogsmeade. If that was the case, her theory was correct.

She returned her attention to her breathing, away from the thoughts of her visions. Now that she knew what the probable triggers for the visions were, she could attempt to have one intentionally. She brought to the center of her mind thoughts of the Order, images of it's members swirling around her head. She thought of the open meeting she had attended, of Fabien Prewett apologizing for his brother.

Fabien Prewett. That name struck a chord. The other images rushed out of her head and her vision darkened. She could still see the candle in front of her face, but it was as though an image was being projected on top of her physical vision, and she could hear disembodied voices. She hadn't experienced a vision like this since her first, in the Department of Mysteries. The rest had been as though she was fully there, not in two places at once. She looked up, spotting Gideon and Fabien facing her, their wands drawn and hellfire in their eyes. Hermione twisted around, looking over her shoulder to see what they were up against, and gasped when she saw at least ten Death Eaters, masks gleaming in the darkness. There was no snow on the ground, but she could see the Prewetts' breath and they were dressed for the cold.

"So, are you going to take us to the girl?" Hermione heard a man drawl, though she couldn't place where she'd heard the voice before. "Or are you going to die?"

The brothers looked to each other and nodded, before launching themselves forward, casting spells left and right. Hermione watched one Death Eater fall, then another, before she realized what this was. This was their final battle. Harry had told Hermione all about the first Order, everything Mad Eye had told him. The Prewett boys had gone down in one final blaze of glory, taking out five Death Eaters on the way, before Dolohov had finally killed them.

Dolohov. That's was the voice she had heard but couldn't place- he had been there, during the Battle of the Department of Mysteries. He was one of the escaped prisoners that had rejoined Voldemort, and Hermione knew he was put in Azkaban for the murder of Gideon and Fabien. Hermione shook her head to clear it, and was surprised that the vision faded away.

"This can't be right, though." She said to herself. "The Prewetts weren't killed until 1981." Hermione was very confused, as her visions were accurate within a month's time typically. So either this technique, this form of scrying, helped her see further into the future, or the Prewetts were in immediate danger. If the latter was true, Dumbledore needed to know immediately. Hermione blew out her candle and stood, making for the door quickly.

* * *

"I'm very proud of you for figuring out a method for not only for stopping your visions, but for controlling them. It takes someone with a strong mind years to begin to understand divination, and while what you've been doing isn't quite the divination we teach here, it certainly has its roots in it." Dumbledore said, looking Hermione over. "Now then, your visions have proven consistently to happen within a month. As such, we will take the necessary precautions to hopefully prevent the deaths of Gideon and Fabien Prewett. I'm glad you came to me, Hermione, I had scheduled them for a mission next week, just the two of them. I'll ensure I send Alastor along with them, at the very least."

"Thank you, sir." Hermione said, a weight lifting off of her chest, but another thought crossed her mind. "Headmaster, do you think that my presence in this timeline is the reason their deaths were predicted so much sooner?"

"I think that is a possibility, yes. When all's said and done, there will come a time when your knowledge of the future is no longer valid. You've already changed much in the way of what's happened in the past you knew. And as a product of that, you will soon have to come to terms with living in your present, as opposed to the past or future."

"Funny. I've heard that expression before, but never did I think that I'd have to apply it so _literally_." Hermione said. Dumbledore chuckled at her comment before checking the time on the clock on his desk.

"It's late, dear, you should head on back to the tower. If you need to catch up on sleep, I can have Professor McGonagall know you won't be in class?" he asked.

"No, thanks, sir. I need to go to class tomorrow. Remus needs the notes." She said, and he nodded as she rose to leave.

"You're a good friend, Hermione. You know his secret, yes?" Dumbledore asked.

"Of course." She said with a smile. "I've known since third year." Dumbledore nodded, and Hermione left the room.

* * *

Hermione made her way back to Gryffindor tower, feeling sluggish. Unfortunately, that was one of the side effects of being out all night once a month: it took her weeks to not be tired during the day anymore. She wasn't sneaking, as she had Dumbledore's permission to be out of bed should she run into Filch, and so she held her lit wand in front of her. She was just outside the portrait hole when she noticed a form slumped against the wall. She went to investigate, only to find it was none other than Severus Snape. He was shivering, likely from sleeping on the cold castle floor. Hermione pitied him for all of five seconds, before he woke up, scowling.

"Put that light out." He mumbled, "What are you staring at?"

"Well, you're sort of sleeping in the corridor. That's a bit unusual, wouldn't you say?" Hermione said with a smile. She knew why he was here.

"Well, shove off. I don't need another Potter to deal with tonight." He said.

"Another? So then James was by earlier?" Hermione said. Snape didn't answer, but Hermione didn't need him to. "Snape, I know why you're out here. Lily is one of my best friends."

"She was _my_ best friend, first!" he scowled, sitting up properly.

"I know." Hermione said gently. "But she has other friends, too. She's not yours alone, Snape." She sighed when she saw the fire and hurt in his eyes at that comment. "She cares about you. She really does. But your choices in this war and hers are very different. How can you support Voldemort when your bestfriend is a Muggleborn, and one of the smartest witches of her age?"

"I- have my reasons. But why should _you_ care? You've hated me from the moment-"

"No. I've never hated you at all, really. I've responded to your hatred of my name. But at some point, Snape, you have to realize that names and blood status don't matter as much as the people themselves do. Are you prepared to kill Lily?"

"Never!" Snape nearly shouted.

"That's the path you're headed down. Your hatred for James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter, that has nothing to do with Voldemort's agenda. They're all purebloods, or at the very least, half. I understand they bullied you growing up, and that you will never be able to be friends with them, but Lily didn't choose James over you, Snape. It was never a competition to her. She's told me that, herself."

"But- how could she ever love me…?"

"Love comes in many forms, Severus. She loves you as a friend. As a brother. You grew up with her, right? Before Hogwarts? She will always love you. But that doesn't mean she will tolerate your shit."

Hermione turned and walked back to the portrait hole, surprised that the Fat Lady was actually awake. She gave the password and the portrait swung open. Hermione climbed through, but as she passed the Fat Lady, she heard a whisper.

"That a girl. You really told him how it is." Hermione smiled at the painting before trudging up to her bed to try and get at least a few hours of sleep.


	26. Changes

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _March 25, 1978 Hogwarts, Scotland - Hogwarts Library_

Hermione gasped as Sirius lifted her up, her legs wrapping around his waist as he drove deep into her. His lips found hers and soon they were both panting and moaning, trying to keep quiet, as they hadn't put a silencing charm on the door to the broom closet. They hadn't had time.

The stress had gotten to the both of them recently. N.E.W.T.s were just around the corner, and they spent every waking moment either studying, or in classes. They hadn't had much time to spend together in far too long, and damn it, if Hermione didn't _miss him_.

She teased him all the time, as it was, hoping to get a rise out of him. She'd make clever innuendos that only he would catch, then watched him bite his tongue in front of their friends. She knew it would catch up to her and he'd snap on her eventually, but that's just what she was hoping for. Finally, as they were walking back from the library this afternoon, Hermione was arguing with him about whether or not sucking on the end of a quill, as was Hermione's habit, was healthy. Sirius had offered her a better option, and as soon as they'd found an empty broom closet, they jumped straight into it.

Hermione moaned louder than she meant to, one hand tangling in Sirius's hair, the other scratching his back over his shirt. He twisted his hips, hitting a new spot and muffling Hermione's groan with his mouth. He kissed her roughly, stepping up the pace even further, nipping his way up her neck, where he whispered in her ear.

"You gonna cum for me, Hermione?"

Just as he asked, he twisted his hips again, sending her toppling over the edge and she had to bite down on his shoulder to keep from screaming out. Sirius growled a bit as he finished himself, nuzzling Hermione's head up to give him access to her neck, where he bit down gently. Claiming her.

They held each other while their breathing slowed, Sirius still buried inside Hermione, her forehead resting against his.

"I love you." Sirius said, looking into her eyes. She was silent for the space of a heartbeat, looking up at him with big brown eyes. "You don't have to-"

"I love you, too." She said. He blinked, a slow smile spreading across his face.

"You- you mean it?" He asked sheepishly. Hermione nodded.

" _You_ mean it?" She asked quietly. He kissed her passionately in response.

"Of course I mean it." He whispered against her lips.

"As much as I'd love to stay in your arms all night, James will be wondering where we are." Hermione said. "And my legs are falling asleep." He chuckled, pulling out and setting her down.

"James can bugger off, but I suppose if we _must_ …" Sirius said, kissing her forehead.

"Do you really want a repeat of last year? He refused to talk to you for nearly two weeks last March after the full moon and you'd have thought someone drowned your puppy. Are you ever gonna tell me what happened with that?" Hermione asked, straightening her shirt and pulling her panties back on. Sirius hadn't had a chance to fully undress her. She saw him blush at that comment.

"Probably not. I was stupid, that's all you need to know. James and Peter yelled at me for it, then James gave me the silent treatment. It won't happen again." He said, adjusting himself and straightening his clothes. She nodded, looking him over. If he told her it wouldn't happen again, she trusted him. She kissed him once more before they slipped out of the broom closet and headed back to the common room.

* * *

 _June 14, 1978 Hogwarts, Scotland - The Grounds_

"I can't believe we're finally done. I don't want to pick up another book for a year." James complained, laying back on the grass under the shade of an old tree by the head was in Lily's lap and she was leaning against the tree. This was one of their favorite spots during nice weather to just relax.

"What happened to being an auror?" Lily asked, playing with his hair.

"It'll happen." He said. "Eventually. I just sorta wanna take a break after school for a bit. Not like I have to work right after school." he said. "Besides, with you trying to get on at Gringotts, and everything going on with the Order, I'd never see you if we both work." Lily sighed.

"He has a point, Lily." Remus said.

"Besides," Sirius said, looking down at James from his spot in the tree above. "I'm not starting auror training til next year, anyway. Don't really need to with the Order, do we?"

"Well, _I_ start Healer's training the second week of July." Hermione said, smirking up at Sirius from her spot next to Lily.

"You were accepted to the program, then? When did you find out?" Sirius asked, hopping down from his perch on the low branch.

"This morning. Got the owl shortly after breakfast." Hermione beamed.

"Congratulations, Hermione. I know you were hoping to get into that program." Remus said, smiling at her. "They must have gotten your N.E.W.T.s before you did." Hermione nodded.

"Did you hear back from that book store, Moony?" Peter asked, looking over at him from the lake, where he had his feet in the water.

"Yes. They respectfully rejected my application." He sighed. "Third rejection this week." he laughed, wryly.

"Don't worry about it, Moony." James said. "You're always welcome at the house. If you need money for anything, and I mean _anything_ , you know we've got your back." James said, sitting up and looking his friend over. Remus nodded, giving him a smile, and only then did James return his head to Lily's lap.

"What about you, Peter? How's the job search going?" Lily asked.

"Got the job at the apothecary, the one in Hogsmeade." He said, shrugging. "It's part-time, though. So I'll still have plenty of free time."

"When do you start?" Hermione asked.

"Second week of July." He said. "Gonna live at home for the first bit. Save up some money."

"Yeah, Hermione and I are doing the same." James said.

"You're not moving in with Sirius?" Peter asked Hermione. "Thought for sure, after Christmas-"

"Not right away, no. I want to get used to being my own person first. And I think Sirius needs a chance to truly make it on his own for a bit." She said.

"I'm still not sure leaving him alone is a good idea." Remus smirked at his friend.

"Well, considering I'll still be seeing you at least once a month anyway, I won't be totally alone." Sirius said.

"We're- still going to do that?" Remus asked.

"Of course, we're still going to do that." James said. "Brothers, remember? Just because we're leaving school doesn't mean we're leaving each other."

"Suppose you're right." Remus said thoughtfully. "I'll still transform, regardless. Might as well do it with friends."

"I know a great spot in the Forest of Dean." Hermione said. "I'll take Sirius one day so he can show you." Sirius nodded and Remus smiled at her.

"Not sure what I did to deserve you lot," Remus said, shaking his head, "But I'm glad I have you."

"Wouldn't have it any other way, Moony." Peter said, grinning at him. Hermione smiled when she saw Peter's smiled was genuine.

* * *

 _July 5, 1978 Wimbourne, England - Potter Residence, Gardens_

Hermione sat on the swing in the gardens, watching the festivities around her with a smile on her face. She could hardly believe it had been two years since she'd stumbled into this time. She marvelled when she remembered the her first month in the Potter Residence, and how warm and accepting the boys had been, but a pang of guilt struck her when she thought of the lies that had been necessary. She knew she'd have to tell them soon. There was no way around it, even though she had better control over her visions these days.

She sighed, scrubbing a tired hand down her face. She'd rested up plenty during her break after N.E.W.T.s, but she was still tired, and wasn't quite ready to start in on her Healer's training that was to begin in just over a week. She hoped that the Healer's training would help her become a bigger asset to the it meant she'd have less time to devote to figuring out her visions and how she affected time, she also hoped she could help save lives with some formal training.

Hermione jumped when she felt someone behind her grab the ropes of the old swing, but just giggled when she felt Sirius press a kiss to her temple.

"Returned to your habit of hiding from the party, have you?" Sirius asked.

"I'm not _hiding_ from the party. I'm observing it."

"People watching, eh?" He asked, wrapping his arms around her.

"Trying to figure out when James is gonna pop the question. He's been a bundle of nerves all day. It has to be today." Hermione said quietly, with a grin.

"I think you're right." Sirius said. "He's been carrying the ring in his pocket for a month solid. I think he wanted to do it on the train, but he needed to ask her dad, still."

"Aunt Effie is about as nervous as he is. Afraid she'll say no, I think." Hermione said.

"I don't think she will." Sirius said.

"There's no way she will." Hermione giggled. "Look." She said, nodding over to where Lily had just asked James to hand her a fork for her food. Hermione had seen him slip a hand in his pocket just before he grabbed the fork.

"Don't bugger this, Prongs." Sirius muttered, into Hermione's hair.

They watched as he made his way over to her, then pretended to trip, stumbling and landing on one knee, dropping the fork and holding up a white box. From where Hermione was sitting, she could only see part of James's face, but she knew him well enough to know he was wearing a big goofy grin at his own cleverness. Lily, however, didn't look impressed. At first, she looked worried, and when she saw the ring, she actually smacked James in the shoulder.

"Oh stop that, you. I thought you were done being silly." She said. But when James didn't move, her face changed to one of awe and surprise. "You- you're serious?"

"Lily Evans, would you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" He asked.

"Merlin, James," She said, a hand covering her mouth. She nodded, launching herself into his arms. " _Yes!_ " Everyone present burst out into applause as the couple kissed and James slipped the ring on Lily's finger. Hermione and Sirius wore identical grins for their best friends.

Sirius squeezed Hermione closer to him, kissing her temple again.

"I love watching our friends fall in love." Sirius told her. She nodded, leaning back into him. "You know, Hermione, I can't help thinking about the future. With this war, and everything going on, it all looks so dark. But moments like this, with our friends and each other, the love and light, it gives me hope."

"Me too, Sirius." she murmured, rubbing circled on his arm with her thumb.

"And I can't keep myself from the thinking, hoping. Maybe one day you'll marry me." He said. She could feel him grinning, could hear it in his voice. She turned her body to look him over, but he seemed sincere about that hope. Hermione's heart melted, and she hugged him close.

"One day." She said, before standing. "Let's go congratulate Lily and James. I'm sure they could use a break from Aunt Effie's doting." Sirius laughing and nodded.

"We're really too kind, rescuing them from her. Should let them suffer a bit longer." He said, but he followed her back to the party where Hermione was met with excited squeals from Lily and Sirius clapped James on the back.


	27. New Adventures

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic_

* * *

 _August 16, 1978 London, England - Sirius's Flat_

James and Remus plopped down heavily on Sirius's couch, sighs escaping them. Hermione curled herself up in her favorite chair, Sirius himself perched on the arm of it. It was late and they were just getting in from an extensive Order meeting, their first real one since being sworn in at the end of July. Lily Peter had opted to go on home, as they had work the next morning, but the others needed to talk over their assignments away from prying ears.

"So you're going to have to talk to Greyback and his pack?" Sirius said on a sigh. It was the easiest way to approach the topic. Remus looked at his hands in his lap.

"I suppose so. I don't know how I feel about it." He said, wringing his hands.

"I know how _I'd_ feel about," James said quietly. "Scared. You haven't seen him since the attack, right?"

"Yes. The last time I saw the man, I was nearly five. And that interaction wasn't exactly one I wish to revisit." He said.

"Is anyone going with you?" Hermione asked. "Surely Dumbledore won't send you by yourself."

"He has spies amongst Fenrir's pack, but for them to accompany me would out them as such. So I'll be going alone. I'm not in as much danger going alone as an ordinary wizard would be. Dumbledore's spies will do what they can without being obvious." Remus said, leaning forward, bracing his forearms on his knees. James nodded, running his hand over his face. He hadn't shaved in a day or so, and his face was scruffy with stubble.

"So you and Sirius are just supposed to tail Death Eaters?" Hermione asked James.

" _Just_ supposed to tail Death Eaters. Do you hear this, Prongs?" Sirius asked, looking around at his girlfriend.

"Yes, that's pretty much it." James said. "He's supposed to tail Mulciber, I've got Avery. Lily's supposed to keep an eye on Wilkes, and Snape when she can." James said.

" _Mulciber?_ Did he have to give you someone known for being so…"

"Violent? I think that's _why_ he's sent me, actually." Sirius said, a little groan in his voice. "For one, I can take a hit. For two, I think Moody kept his word and passed along his praises of me. Even though you did most of the work in that skirmish."Sirius grinned at her.

"Just be careful. I really don't want to use my training before I'm done with the program." Hermione said with a smirk, but Sirius could see the worry in her eyes. He smiled and kissed her forehead.

"Always are." He said, slipping his hand into hers.

"What's your mission, Hermione?" Remus asked.

"Learn to control my visions." She said. "Same as always. Dumbledore wants me to finish the Healer program before I get any more involved in the Order. Right now, I'm more of an informant than anything." She said, stretching. "You two staying the night?" she asked.

"Yeah, might as well. It's too late to go back home. Mum would have a fit." James said.

"Well you're more than welcome. Extra blankets and pillows in the closet in the hall, the couch and chair can be transfigured into cots, if you prefer. I'm headed to bed, make yourselves at home." He said standing and stretching.

"Yeah, I'm headed to bed, too. Did I leave any clothes here, Sirius?" Hermione asked.

"You have a clean change of clothes for the morning, but no pajamas." Sirius said, running a hand through his hair.

"That's fine. Just, do me a favor, boys," Hermione said to Remus and James. "Knock before you come in."

"No problems there." James said. "I don't need to see my cousins naked. I'll pass on that experience."

Hermione giggled and waved them goodnight, heading to her and Sirius's room. Sirius watched her go with a small grin.

"When are you two gonna move in together?" Remus asked with a chuckle. "I mean, she basically already lives here."

"Haven't talked to her about it yet." Sirius said. "But I think soon. You're right, she spends more time here than at home."

"Mate, how far do you think this will go? You and her?" James asked, seriously.

"I love her, Prongs." Sirius said, rubbing a kink out of his shoulder. "I want to marry her eventually. But with your wedding and the war…" he said. James nodded.

"I understand." He said, "Just making sure you weren't messing around with her heart."

"I would never." Sirius said. "Not Hermione."

"Well, you better head to bed before she gets suspicious. Night, Pads." Remus said, standing to get their beds ready.

"Night." He said, kicking off his shoes by the door and padding to his bedroom. Hermione's clothes were in a the hamper beside the door, and she was already in bed when he came in, the lamp on her side of the bed on. She looked up from a book he'd had on his nightstand when he came in.

"So this is where my Ancient Runes book got to." Hermione said, with a smirk. " If you wanted to use it, you could have just asked."

"Yeah, but then you'd wonder why. I'm not really known for studying am I?" Sirius said, blushing a bit.

"True. What _did_ you want it for?" Hermione said, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Well, I suppose I'll have to show you sooner or later." He sighed, pulling his shirt over his head and tossing it into the hamper. There, on left pectoral, over his heart, a black rune was tattooed. His chest had been partially shaved, there was stubble growing back, and his chest was shiny with lotion. The skin was peeling, and the area was still a little red.

"Nauthiz." Hermione said. "Think before acting. Learn who and what you really are. Limitations and boundaries. Awareness of your own needs and requirements. Don't do things you'll later regret. It's fitting."

"I thought so, too." He said, looking down. "I wanted a reminder after we left school that this is the real world, now. We have to be careful, and I have to grow up." He felt his cheeks heating up, and busied himself with taking off his pants and socks, placing his wand on his nightstand, trying distract himself.

"I like it." Hermione said quietly. He climbed in bed next to her, and he looked over at her.

"You do?"

"Of course. You know Ancient Runes was one of my favorite subjects in school. I think it's wonderful that you put so much thought into a tattoo and that it has meaning for you." She said, leaning her head on his chest.

"I'm glad you don't think I'm stupid for it." He chuckled, laying down on his side and wrapping his arms around her.

"Your choices make you who you are. I love you. Whether you're an idiot or not." She giggled. "Good night."

"Night, love." He said, nuzzling close to her. He fell asleep almost at once.

* * *

 _September 5, 1978 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

"That's the last of it. You really do have too many clothes." James said, putting down a box.

"Blame your mother, she bought them for me!" Hermione said, sorting through the boxes in the living room.

"I can't believe I'm the last to move out, but the first to get married." James groaned, leaning up against the back of the couch.

"You're moving out next month, don't whine." Sirius said, coming out of the bedroom.

"While this is true, I still have to put up with Mum's shit and Lily and I are going insane trying to plan this wedding." James sighed.

"I asked her if she wanted help." Hermione chuckled. "Aunt Effie can be a bit much."

"Please, for the love of Merlin, Hermione, _help her._ Take her planner and send her to the spa. Something, _anything._ I can't handle it."

"Alright, James. For your sake, I'll help. But you'll owe me." She said.

"I will not! From what I heard, you already collected twenty galleons from betting on my proposal!" James said indignantly.

"Heard about that, did you?" Hermione said, handing Sirius a box and moving to the next to sort it out. "Well, if it's all the same, you wouldn't be giving me money as repayment."

"Oh?" He said, his interest piqued. "Then what?"

"Let's just say there will come a time when I ask a favor of you." Hermione said.

"Didn't know you had Slytherin tendencies, Hermione." Sirius said. Hermione shrugged. "Been spending too much time with Reg."

"I haven't heard from him since school started back, actually." Hermione said. "I need to write to him and see how he is."

"Saw him last week, he stopped by to check on everyone while he was in Diagon Alley getting school supplies. He's…" Sirius sighed. "He's looking pretty rough, not going to lie."

"Yeah. His letters have been all over the place. He usually writes me once a week. I'm lucky if I get one once a month, recently." She said.

"He's strong." Sirius said, brushing a strand of hair out of Hermione's eyes and pulling her chin up. "He'll be okay. He's got us, remember?"

"Yeah. I hate this, Sirius. This war. This whole situation." Hermione said, sighing.

"I know, love. Me too. But you have to remember, without the darkness, we'd never see the stars."

* * *

 _October 31, 1978 Norfolk, England - Drayton Old Lodge_

Sirius adjusted his tie for the third time as he waited for James to pull on his brown suit jacket. It was finally his best friend's big day and he was nearly as nervous as James seemed to be.

"How do I tie this damn thing?" James asked, giving up tying his bowtie for the third time.

"You're a wizard, aren't you?" Sirius asked. "Use your wand."

"This is why you're my best man, Pads. That sort of forward thinking and deductive reasoning." James said, and Sirius smirked. James picked up his wand from the dresser and gave it a wave, then coughed as the tie knotted itself a bit too tightly around his throat.

"Definitely need some practice with that." James said, loosening the knot a bit. Sirius looked up at him and shook his head, crossing the room to fix his tie and adjust his suit.

"Prongs, this may be the only time you hear me say this," Sirius said, looking him over. "But you clean up good. Lily won't be able to take her eyes off you."

"Well, that's probably a good thing, cause I'm not sure I'll be able to take my eyes off _her_." He said, adjusting his glasses. There was a quiet tap on the door and Hermione peeked her head in.

"We're just about ready to start." She said, opening the door further. Sirius took in her forest green dress and updo and tried his hardest not to stare.

"Alright. Do I have another minute to mentally prepare?" James asked.

"Not getting cold feet, I hope?"Hermione asked.

"No, just not ready to break down in tears in front of my family and friends." James said, with a grin that Sirius could see was forced. Hermione nodded, seeing what Sirius saw.

"Yeah, just a minute though. Most of the guests are seated." Hermione said, giving him a smile and retreating from the room. Sirius knew it was time for the big pep talk. The biggest pep talk he'd ever given. He took a deep breath.

"You've got this, Prongs. Moony, Wormtail, and I, we've got your back, but this is _your_ new adventure. There's gonna be a lot we can't help you with. But you'll be just fine. You're one of the strongest people I know. You and Lily, you two were made for each other. Now let's get you out there before your mum kills us both, yeah?" Sirius said, clapping James on the shoulder.

"Yeah. I'm ready. Let's do this." James said, with a nod, and the two friends left the room, heading for the leaf-strewn grounds and the ruins where the ceremony was to take place. Sirius had thought it ironic that they were to be wed on the site of ruins, but Lily had found it poetic. They were beginning their adventure together in a place many adventures had already been had. A smile touched Sirius's lips when he joined Hermione and the rest of the bridal party. He watched James take his place next to the officiant, and gave him one last thumbs up before the music began to play and the ceremony began.


	28. The Truth

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _November 13, 1978 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Hermione plopped down into her favorite chair after a long day at St. Mungo's. She was exhausted, and she was sure Sirius was faring no better, especially as this was the week of the full moon, and Remus had been more irritable than normal lately. This would be his last transformation with the boys before beginning his trip to meet up with Fenrir's pack in the north. He wasn't sure how long he'd be gone, so he wanted to make the most of the time he had left. Hermione heard the door behind her slam open just then and she jumped up, reaching for her wand before seeing it was just Sirius.

Just a very _grumpy_ Sirius. Hermione frowned at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked. "Did someone-" Hermione went pale. There were only two reasons he'd be so upset that he came in like that. Someone died, or he had a fight with one of the guys.

"No. It's Remus." Sirius spat, slamming the door closed and pacing. Hermione sighed.

"Again? You _know_ it's just the moon-" She said.

"He didn't show. _Again_. James said he had something important to do. Said he left him in Diagon out of the blue." He said, pacing back and forth. "But I _saw_ him in Diagon Alley, Hermione. Or rather, _leaving_ Diagon Alley. Going into Knockturn Alley."he said darkly.

"What are you saying, Sirius?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"He's been sneaking off without us, Hermione." Sirius said, hands in his hair. "I don't want to believe it, either, but the evidence is all there. Maybe some of his contacts- some of his _werewolf_ contacts-"

"No." Hermione said, firmly.

"What do you mean, 'no'?" Sirius said, turning to her. That one word had gotten him to stop pacing.

"I mean, no. You're wrong. Remus is loyal to the Order, but more importantly, he's loyal to _you_. You, James, Peter. Lily and I. He'd protect us with his life. There is no way in _hell_ that he would betray you." Hermione said, enunciating very carefully, her eyes locked on his. He had a fire in his eyes, one that she was sure was reflected in her own.

"But how can you be _sure_? How do you know that he won't run off with Greyback during this mission of his?" Sirius said.

"I-" Hermione realized she only had one way to placate him. "Fuck."

Sirius frowned, looking her over. She normally didn't swear, so she was sure he took note of was her turn to pace the floor. She had to tell him. There was no way around it in her mind.

"Sirius, I need you to get the others. James and Lily, Remus, and Peter. I need to tell you all something, and I'd prefer to do it all at once." Hermione said, trying to remain calm.

"Hermione?" he asked, taking a step toward her. He was worried, she could tell by the tone in his voice.

"I'm fine, Sirius. There's just something that I _really_ need to tell everyone." She said, taking deep breaths to try and calm down.

"I'm not leaving you like this." He said, crossing to her and wrapping his arms around her securely. "You look like you're about to have a panic attack." He murmured. She barked a laugh.

"Not far from it." She murmured into his chest, curling in on herself and allowing him to support her. "But I need the others here to hear this." Sirius pulled his wand out of his back pocket.

" _Expecto Patronum._ " He muttered, and Hermione looked up as three silvery dogs sprang from his wand. "Hermione needs us all together. We're at the flat. Come as soon as you can." he told them, then they trotted off, bound out of the window towards their friends.

"I don't know what has you this upset," He murmured to Hermione. "But if it's something I did-"

"It's nothing you did." Hermione said, looking up at him. "It's something _I_ did, and I'm afraid you'll hate me for it."

"I could never hate you." He said, frowning.

"I'll believe that after I tell you this." Hermione said, with a small smile. There was a knock on the door just then, but before Sirius could move to open in, James came bustling through, followed closely by Lily, Remus, and Peter.

"Sirius, I wanted to apologize for not making lunch today-" Remus started, but Sirius held up a hand, releasing Hermione.

"We'll talk about it after we hear what Hermione has to say, take a seat." they followed his instructions with a nod. Hermione took a deep breath, and felt herself starting to panic again. She felt Sirius slide his hand into hers, and that calmed her a bit. She brushed her hair out of her face and began.

"I lied to all of you." Hermione said shakily. "On Dumbledore's orders, but it's still a lie. I need you to know the truth. You're my best friends, the closest I have to family. You need to know." She took a deep breath. "I don't belong to this time."

"You-" Sirius frowned. "You what?" He sat down on the couch next to James.

"An accident during a fight in the Department of Mysteries sent me back in time twenty years. That's what really happened the summer after fifth year. I _was_ attacked by Death Eaters. But my parents weren't killed. I just wasn't born yet." Hermione said, quickly, her eyes on the floor.

"So, you're not a Potter then?" James said, and Hermione could hear the hurt in his voice.

"My real name is Hermione Granger. I'm a Muggleborn. My birthday is September 19, _1979_."

"You're not even _born_ until next year?" Sirius asked. "But isn't time travel, you know, very illegal?"

"When it's intentional, yes." Hermione said. "A Time Turner, a fairly old one, if my suspicions are correct, fell on my head with some force. Shattered on impact, sending me back in time, twenty years." She said.

"Did you know us? In the future? Or at least know _of_ us?" Lily asked.

"Before I answer that, let me make it known: the visions I have are from the accident. My past has already been changed, and thus, your futures will be, as well." Hermione said, then took a deep breath. "Remus, you were my Defense Against the Dark Arts professor third year."

"I-I was?" He said, looking shocked. "How- was I any good at it?" Hermione smiled.

"Best Defense teacher I ever had. I met Sirius and Peter that year, too, but under different… circumstances." Hermione sighed.

"Such as?" Sirius asked, leaning forward in his seat and bracing his forearms on his knees.

"I want you to know, I've done what I can to prevent this situation happening already." Hermione said, pacing again.

"You had a child, James. With Lily. And there was this prophecy about a baby born at the same time being able to defeat the Dark Lord. There were two children it could be, but he chose yours. He came after you. There was a Fidelius Charm placed on the house, but your secret keeper was...compromised."

"Who was it?" Sirius asked.

"Initially, they wanted _you_ , Sirius. But you felt that was too obvious. So you suggested, in secret, someone you knew would never betray you." Hermione said.

"Peter?" Sirius murmured. Hermione nodded.

"Remus was in the north, on Order business. He didn't know the secret keeper had been changed, no one had. But you grew weary of Remus, didn't trust him. You left him out of the plans _specifically_ because of that. So when Voldemort confronted Peter, and he cracked under the pressure- everyone, even Remus, thought it was you that sold out James and Lily, Sirius. You went after him, you were going to kill him. But before you could, he cut off his finger and transformed, running away. Everyone assumed you killed him, blasted him to shreds, and so you were taken to Azkaban."

"I was in prison?" He asked, his voice hollow. "Because of Peter?"

"For twelve years. In my third year, you escaped. You went to Hogwarts, trying to protect James's child. Remus still didn't know you were innocent, until you told him the story. My friend had a pet rat he called Scabbers, and when Remus repossessed the Marauder's map from James's son- yes, I know it exists, Filch confiscated it last year- he saw Peter's name on the map and _knew_ that's why Sirius was there."

"Because the Map doesn't lie." Remus muttered.

"Exactly." Hermione said, feeling exhausted. "Peter went free, joining the Dark Lord because if he came back to the Order, he'd be sent to Azkaban. I helped Sirius escape, and he went back to Grimmauld Place to lay low, his house becoming Order headquarters for a bit. Remus stayed there, too, for the most part."

"The Order was still around?"James asked.

"The Dark Lord was defeated for a time, so we thought. But he eventually arose again, and the Order reformed as well."

"This is all… how did you know all of this at sixteen, Hermione?" Sirius asked. She shrugged.

"My best friend was something of a celebrity. The child destined to defeat the Dark Lord. I got more inside information than most." she said.

"So this is real." Sirius said. " _This_ is how you know Remus isn't going to betray us." Sirius asked, and Remus shot him a look.

"Yes. It's how I know _Peter_ isn't going to betray you, as well." Hermione said. "We've already had this talk, haven't we Pete?"

"Well, not the time travel bit, but the rest… Yeah, rings a bell." he said, softly. "I can't lose you lot."

"So," Hermione said, turning away from them. "How much do you hate me?"

"Hate you?" Sirius asked, standing and crossing to her, taking her into his arms once again. "Hermione, you've been _protecting_ us, and we didn't even know it. You've been hiding this from us, yes, but I, for one, know that I wouldn't have believed you if you had told me this two years ago."

"He's right, Hermione." James said. "It wasn't like this is something that should have been common knowledge. I'm sure Dumbledore knows, but you did right by not telling us until it was necessary."

"Besides," Sirius grinned down at her. "This means I'm not fucking my cousin. And I can't _begin_ to tell you how much better I feel knowing that." Hermione cracked a grin at that.

"I can't help but wonder, though, Hermione." Lily said. "Is there a way for you to get back to your own time?"

"Theoretically, yes." Hermione sighed. "Practically, I'm unsure. According to Dumbledore, I exist outside of time. This is my time as much as the one I was born into. There's a couple problems with going back, though. Firstly, I left in 1976, and I was sixteen. I'm eighteen now, and going back to 1996 having aged two years would cause quite a bit of confusion to the general public. Second, I'm not really sure _how_ to go about actually travelling through time without a Time Turner, though Dumbledore believes it is possible. And third," Hermione looked around the room, to each of her friends, and then to her boyfriend. "I'm not sure I want to leave."

"So now that we know," James said, standing beginning to pace himself. It was a nervous habit he'd picked up from Sirius. "How do we stop it from happening?"

"Well," Hermione said, a small smile in place. "For starters, you all know what to avoid. You know the signs to look for, and you know how to keep history from repeating itself. Failing that, you still have one thing now that you didn't have then."

"What's that?" James frowned, looking over at her. She grinned at him.

"Me."


	29. Nobody Knows

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _January 3, 1979 Hogwarts, Scotland - Headmaster's Office_

Hermione sat before Dumbledore once more, drinking tea and discussing the holidays. It was a business call, and they both knew it, but that didn't stop them exchanging pleasantries where they could. During her sixth year, Dumbledore had noticed her struggling in her classes, and invited her round for tea whenever she needed help with her homework. She took him up on the offer, and ever since, tea with Dumbledore had a calming effect on her. He even knew how she took her tea.

"So I finally told the boys the truth." Hermione said, as calmly as though she was commenting on the weather.

"Oh?" Dumbledore asked, raising an eyebrow and sipping his tea. "How did that turn out?"

"Surprisingly well. They took it better than I hoped." Hermione said.

"Good! Perhaps they'll be more willing to cooperate when you talk to them about Order business, now." Dumbledore said.

"That's what started the whole thing. Sirius thought Remus was going to betray the Order." Hermione rolled her eyes.

"So you're confident he will not?" He asked.

"Positive. In my time, it was Peter who betrayed James and Lily." Hermione said.

"And in this time, do you feel he will make the same choices?" he asked.

"I hope not. I've put the fear of Merlin in him. I hope I've done enough." Hermione said.

"He's been spotted meeting hopefuls in Hogsmeade. Regulus Black, along with a few others. Severus Snape was seen with him, as well."

"He could be spying, but I'm not sure. Regulus, I know, is acting as a spy. He's been feeding me what little information he has access to. As for Snape, I admit, I know little of his past from my time. I have no idea what led him to defect and join the Order." Hermione sighed.

"What do you recall of Voldemort's activity in your time?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, I've already told you about what Harry told me, how Voldemort came back. We went to the Ministry that night in 1996 to save Sirius, but we were ambushed, instead. There was a prophecy concerning Harry and Lord Voldemort. He must have known about it, but not its entire contents, as it seemed fairly important. I don't know who gave the prophecy, it just said S.P.T., but I believe the date inscribed on it was 1980."

"I'm afraid we will have to wait to see if this prophecy comes into play in this timeline, then. It seems as though there is nothing more we can do but watch and listen." Dumbledore said. Hermione sighed, but nodded.

"How's Healer training going?" He asked, and Hermione smiled at him. She knew he was trying to make her feel like an asset, and that he was trying to boost her morale. She hated waiting for things to happen.

"Healer Fawley says I'm a natural. Might even finish the program before the end of the year." she told him.

"Very good! I'm glad you seem to be acclimating well to life after Hogwarts." He said, looking her over.

"I'm trying. And that's all I can do, right?" She said, and Dumbledore smiled at her, a twinkle in his eye.

"How right you are, dear."

* * *

 _Later that night, London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Hermione shuffled into the flat with a couple bags of groceries, closing the door with her foot behind her. She was surprised to find Sirius in the kitchen, wearing her apron, and actually not burning anything. He looked up when she came in, and he hurried over to take the groceries from her hands.

"How'd your Dumbledate go, love?" He asked, with a grin. She laughed at him, shaking her head.

"It went fine, just talked business with the Order. He wanted to know a bit more information about my time. Then we just talked about Mungo's and such. What're you making?"

"Spaghetti and garlic bread." He said, putting the groceries on the table and starting to put things away.

"Sounds good," she said. "Wasn't expecting you to cook, tonight, though." She said, giggling.

"Well, James wrote me and he wanted to come over tonight, so I told him to bring Lily and we'd have dinner. Besides, you cook all the time. About time I stepped up." He said, dropping a wink her way.

"How was work today?" She asked, helping him store the rest of the groceries.

"Brutal. Swear Moody's harder on me than any of the other new recruits." Sirius groaned. "I have bruises in places I didn't know I had."

"You know it's just because he likes you." Hermione said.

"Well, that, and I'm the only one directly affiliated with the Order in this class." He said, with a shrug. Hermione heard a knock on the door just then, and as she turned to answer it, she called over her shoulder to Sirius.

"By the way, your pasta's about to boil over." she smirked, giggling when she heard a string of expletives from him. She left him to deal with the noodles and peeked through the peephole to ensure it was really James and Lily. She opened the door when she was sure it was her friends, and let them in, but something about them felt off.

"Hey, 'Mione." James said, hugging her. While it wasn't unusual for James to greet her with a hug, he lingered a bit longer than usual, and hugged her just a bit tighter than she was used to. Sirius must have noticed from his vantage point in the open kitchen, too.

"Everything alright, Prongs?" Sirius called as Hermione moved to hug Lily. James tried to smile but met Sirius with what looked like a grimace.

"I wanted to tell you in person, mate. Both of you." He said, and Lily slipped her hand into his, squeezing it reassuringly. "Mum… Mum's sick."

"Sick?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brow. "I haven't seen her at Mungo's, what kind of sick?"

"She's been quarantined in the house. Hermione, they're saying it's Dragon Pox." James said. Hermione's hand went to her mouth. She knew Euphemia and Fleamont were advancing in age, and that particular disease was deadly, in particular, to young children and the elderly.

"Uncle Fleamont, does he-?" Sirius asked.

"They don't know yet, but they're keeping the two of them together. She had been undiagnosed for about a month. You know how Mum is, stubborn woman refused to go to the doctor." James shook his head.

"How long?" Hermione asked, meeting James's eye.

"We don't know. Could be weeks, could be a few months." He said.

"Anything you need, James," Sirius said, crossing to him and embracing his best friend. "Literally anything, you let us know, alright?"

"Yeah, I will." James said, hugging the man who was like a brother to him tightly. "Thanks for having us over. I really needed you two right now. Remus isn't back yet, but I got a letter from him before he went off the grid again. He hopes to be back by May."

"Did you tell him?" Hermione asked. James shook his head.

"It was a do-not-reply. And even if I did write him back, I wouldn't have told him. Would have distracted him from the mission." James said, and Sirius nodded. "Told Peter earlier today. He's a bit torn up about it."

"He loves Aunt Effie." Hermione said, fondly. "Doesn't help that she dotes on him like he's her own."

"She dotes on _everyone_ like they're her own." Sirius said. "Especially you, Hermione."

"Yeah, Mum went on about you for _weeks_ when you first moved out, you know." James said, moving to take a seat at the table.

"She did?" Hermione asked. But before he could reply, Hermione smelled something. "Sirius, did you forget about the garlic bread?"

"Fuck." Three voices laughed as yet another string of expletives left Sirius's mouth as he hurried back to the little kitchen to try and save his scorched garlic bread.

* * *

 _March 11, 1979 London, England - St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries_

Hermione, Sirius, James, and Lily sat in a cramped waiting room on the second floor of the hospital. Hermione and Lily had been crying off and on for the span of several days, and all of them had notified their employers of Euphemia's death just days before, along with the impending death of Fleamont.

The four of them had been summoned earlier in the day for the reading of Euphemia's will, and Hermione was surprised just how much Euphemia had cared about her. She had left all her worldly possessions to "my children, James and Lily Potter, Hermione Potter, and Sirius Black." Fleamont had pointed out, before slipping into a coma the day after Euphemia died, that he had expanded upon his wife's will, detailing what portion of the estate should go to whom, but that he wasn't worried about squabbling over money.

"You four are better than that, I know." He had said.

Sirius had been a wreck, Hermione knew, since Euphemia passed. It didn't help matters that it had been while he was visiting with her, while James was gone, no less, that she had passed. She had whispered something to him, in the moments before her death, something that he refused to tell Hermione. He looked haunted, his face pale and drawn. He lost a mother just the same as James had. And now they were losing a father, as well. Hermione was trying to be strong for the boys, but she couldn't help but feel that she had lost the closest thing to parents she had, as well. And so Lily had been the anchor that held them all together.

Hermione was shaken from her reverie by the door to the ward opening and a Healer, one whom she had met a few times throughout her training, a wizard named Grant Lues, came out into the wait area to talk to them.

"Healer Lues," Hermione said, looking up. "How is he?"

"I'm afraid I have some bad news." He said. Before he could say much else, Sirius leapt up and stormed out of the waiting room, heading down the stairs. Hermione looked to James and they shared a knowing look.

"He's had a rough week." Hermione explained. Healer Lues seemed to understand.

"As I was saying, I'm afraid your father has passed, Mr. Potter. Just moments ago." Hermione looked to James, and saw that his face had gone pale. They knew this was coming, but it didn't make things any easier. He nodded once and Lily leaned into him, letting him know they were there.

"There's a fair bit of paperwork, but we can get that taken care of tomorrow. I suggest you go home and try to get some rest." The healer told them. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"James," Hermione said, reaching out to hug him. He grasped her tightly to his chest and she could feel him breaking apart even as they hugged.

"I know." He murmured into her hair, fighting a sob. "Go find Sirius. He needs you right now. I've got Lily. We'll be over to the flat tomorrow." Hermione nodded, willing herself to keep it together so that she could get back to the flat, knowing that's where Sirius retreated to.

Hermione hugged Lily and turned to follow after Sirius, headed for the floos.

* * *

Hermione found Sirius curled up in a ball in the living room floor, sobbing. Her heart broke for him, but she feared he would pull away from her if she tried to comfort him. She approached him cautiously, sitting on the floor beside him. It took several minutes for him to register that she was even there.

When he finally noticed her, he tried to sit up, tried to stop his sobbing, but Hermione just slid closer to him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You don't have to stop because of me." She said, tears escaping. "I'm a mess, too. I just want you to know that it's okay to be a mess. And that you're not alone." Sirius broke down again, burying his face into her shoulder and holding on to her as though his life depended on it.

They sat like that, holding each other on the floor, and grieved the loss of two people who had claimed them as their own. Hermione knew there was nothing she could have done to prevent these deaths, but somehow, that didn't make her feel better. Somehow, that only made her cling to Sirius and cherish her friends more than ever. The couple stayed in the floor until they eventually cried themselves to sleep, too exhausted to stay awake.


	30. I'm in Pieces

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _May 5, 1979 Godric's Hollow - Potter House_

Sirius sat at the table in James's dining room, stuffing his face, and feeling closer to normal than he had in months. It was the first weekend since Remus had been back, and in celebration, James and Lily had decided to host a dinner party for all of their friends from the Order, including Frank and Alice Longbottom, who had fought alongside them in a couple skirmishes since last summer, and who were helping Sirius with his auror training.

James had told Remus all about what had happened while he'd been gone, but Sirius himself was stuck in his head. He focused on his food and kept his eyes off his friends. He knew Hermione was worried about him, but he wasn't sure how to ease her mind. He was still mourning, after all. And with the news he'd gotten that morning, there really wasn't any helping his mood.

"Those sprouts must be pretty interesting, Pads. You haven't looked away from them all night, and you haven't eaten one." James said. Sirius lip twitched up just slightly, and he forced himself to look up at his best friend.

"Sorry, James. Just not feelin' it. Maybe I should go home, I don't want to bring you lot down." he said, pushing away from the table.

"You'll do no such thing, Sirius Orion Black." Lily said, in a voice so like Euphemia's that his heart ached a bit. He smiled at her sadly and settled himself back down at the table.

"Listen, Sirius," Remus started. "I know I wasn't here for everything that happened, but I'm here now. I've already had this talk with James, but if you need to talk about anything, _anything_ , you know I'm here. You're not a burden, you're not weak, you're just going through some shit, and that's okay."

Sirius looked up at him, a small smile on his face. Remus usually didn't make public speeches, he was more a proponent of private talks. But he knew that Sirius hated being called out in public, and that was the only way to get him to listen to what he was saying.

"Look, I appreciate it." Sirius said, looking around at the concerned faces at the table. "I just got some pretty shitty news this morning." James frowned.

"What is it, mate?" James asked, setting his fork down.

"Regulus wrote me this morning. Dad's ill."

"Oh no." Hermione said, her hand reaching out to hold Sirius's.

"And I mean, I don't have the best relationship with my parents," Sirius continued, "But Dad...He kept Mum off me a lot when I was young. Reg doesn't think he's got very long. Mum wrote to him to tell him. They'll pull him out of school if he gets too bad."

"I'm sorry, Pads," James said, making eye contact across the table. "I know how it is." Sirius nodded. James knew _exactly_ how it was, if not moreso. He had a _good_ father, and lost him.

"I'll try to keep my head up," Sirius said, "But it's just been hard for me lately."

"Sirius, when's the last time we went to the pub?" Peter asked. "The last time we just let loose and had a little fun?" All the boys looked to Peter and smiled. They all knew where this was going. Hermione and Lily shared a knowing look.

"It's been- damn, it's been nearly a year." Sirius said, thinking back.

"Too damn long, I say." James said, checking his watch. "It's nearly seven. If we leave soon, we could hit a few of the Muggle pubs you like Pads. The ones with the live music on Saturdays?" Sirius smiled at his friends. They'd go to any length to cheer him up.

"Of course, you're welcome along, Frank. Ladies too." James said, looking to each of them in turn.

"Frank, you should go, but if it's all the same, Alice," Lily said, smiling between her and Hermione. "I've got a couple of bottles of red wine with our names on it, and I haven't had a girl's night in _far_ too long." Hermione giggled and Alice smiled, nodding.

"It's decided, then." James said. "Better eat up, Pads, cause if I have my way, you may set a new record for most beers in an hour."

"If he's throwing up, you'll be sleeping with him, James Potter." Hermione said.

"Not to worry, 'Mione." Remus said quietly, with a wink. "I'll be the responsible party, as always. I'll get them home safe."

"And the two of you would do well to remember," Lily said, looking between Sirius and James. "That one of you is married, and the other is as good as."

"Believe me, Lils," Sirius said, "I couldn't forget about Hermione if I tried to." He said, looking over to her and squeezing her hand.

"Oi." James said. "Have a little faith, yeah? Have I ever done anything to suggest I have no control of myself while drunk? Actually, don't answer that. Remus will keep me in check, love. Promise." Lily smiled and Frank chuckled.

"Am I going to regret this in the morning?" He asked.

"Probably." came the reply from all four of the other boys. He laughed outright.

"Good to know. Let's do it."

* * *

 _June 17, 1979 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Sirius woke up to a banging on the door. He groaned, thinking he just dreamed it, but when he rolled over, Hermione was awake, too. She looked scared, and if the noise was loud enough wake him out of a dead sleep, he understood why.

"Sirius, you heard that, right?" she asked. He nodded, and the pounding on the door came again. He pushed himself up, grabbing a his dressing robe and throwing it on over his boxers and tying it loosely, before picking up his wand from the nightstand.

"Stay here," He told her, sitting up in bed. He glanced at the clock as he passed it in the hall and saw that it was a quarter after two in the morning. The pounding came yet again as Sirius clicked on the lamp in the living room. He kept his wand at his side, but at the ready, as he peered through the peephole. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hermione standing at the end of the hall, her dressing gown over her pajamas, and her wand in hand, as he looked out. He immediately unlocked the door, letting in his brother, who looked worse than he'd ever seen him.

The boy was shaking, pale, and his face was red and raw, probably from crying. He closed the door behind him and nearly tackled his brother in a hug. Sirius was taken back by it, but merely hugged Regulus back, knowing there was only one reason that he would come to him in the state he was in at two in the morning.

"Dad…" Sirius asked. Regulus let out a sob that broke his heart and he held his brother tighter.

"I'll make some tea," Hermione said softly, seeing that the brothers were going to need some time.

"I can't stay long," Regulus said, "But I can stay for tea." He tried to regain a bit of control of himself and Hermione padded over to the kitchen.

"Reg, I don't know how much more I can handle." Sirius said, his voice shaking.

"I know. But you're the strongest person I know, Sirius. I had to come to you."

"You can always come to me, Reggie." Sirius said, a tear slipping down his face.

"This is going to be so hard without you. I just- I just wanted you to hear it from me, and not the newspaper."

"Thank you for that." Sirius said. His sadness over the death of his father was momentarily outweighed by the feeling of loyalty and trust that swept over him. He knew Regulus was on his side.

* * *

 _July 11, 1979 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

James and Sirius apparated just outside of the broom repair shop below Sirius's flat, James supporting the majority of Sirius's weight as they were fairly certain his leg was broken. James took out his wand and pointed it at Sirius's leg.

" _Ferula_. That should hold till we can get you upstairs." He said, before waving his wand again and placing a Feather-light Charm on Sirius. Sirius hardly noticed, in too much pain to focus on more than putting one foot in front of the other. James scooped up the stockier man as though he were picking up one of the girls and started up the stairs to his door.

Sirius only hoped Hermione was still awake. It was nearly eleven and he didn't have his keys; they'd flown out of his pocket during the duel he barely escaped. He had been out tailing Mulciber and had met up with James when Mulciber met up with Avery. Apparently the two Death Eaters had worked out they were being tailed and had decided to do something about it. They had followed them at a distance to a back alley in Muggle London, where the Dark wizards ambushed Sirius and James. James had gotten away relatively unscathed, bar some scrapes, bruising, and perhaps a cracked rib. Sirius, on the other hand, ended up being tortured and tossed about like a rag doll, suffering a broken leg, a possibly dislocated shoulder, and several large gashes.

James finally got to the top of the stairs and before he could even knock, the door swung open and Hermione ushered him in, closing and locking the door behind them.

"I'm really glad you're still up." James said, depositing Sirius on the couch as gently as he could. "He's pretty banged up."

"How could I sleep?" Hermione said, and Sirius could hear the worry in her voice. "I expected him back an hour ago. I knew something bad was going to happen today." She said, pulling out her wand and moving over to Sirius, running diagnostic spells and starting to strip him down.

"Woah there, love." Sirius murmured, a slight grin on his face as she began to take off his pants. "In front of James? I knew you were kinky, but damn."

"Oh shush, you." She said,kneeling beside the couch and removing the splint and his pants. She began to examine his wounds more thoroughly.

"You said you knew something bad was going to happen today, Hermione." James pointed out. "Did you have a vision?" She shook her head.

"More like a just a feeling, really. _Episkey._ " She explained, setting Sirius's shoulder straight. He jumped at the sudden pain as she worked on the gashes, ensuring they were clean. "James, I have a bag of potions in the cupboard in the bathroom, could you fetch that for me?" She asked. He nodded and left the room in search of the potions she required.

"You know, 'Mione," Sirius said, grunting a little as she pushed on his swollen abdomen, checking for internal bleeding. "I'd be lost without you." She actually managed a smile at that.

"I know." She said. "Why do you think I'm going through all this Healer training? It makes me useful."

"You were useful before you started the training, love. You're so much more than a Healer." He told her. "I really don't know why you keep me around sometimes."

"Because I care about you. Here, bite down on the pillow." Hermione said, handing him a throw pillow and checking his broken leg and prodding it with her wand, setting the bone. He screamed into the pillow and Hermione looked up at him apologetically. "You've risked everything to protect me and our friends. You've shown me nothing but love and trust." She said, taking the bag from James, who had re-entered the room. James sat in the nearby chair, waiting his turn patiently,

Hermione rummaged through the bag of potions, pulling out several that she'd need, and picking up the first and handing it to him. It was a pain potion, and as soon as he'd downed it, he began to feel its effects.

"I keep thinking," Sirius said, wincing a bit as Hermione began applying essence of dittany to the gashes in his abdomen. "About how much I love you. And I keep hoping that maybe," She shoved another potion into his hand and told him to drink. It was Skele-gro, and while the taste was particularly horrible, he managed to choke it down. "Maybe one day you'll marry me." He finished, looking up at her. She smiled at him, checking him over once more.

"Does marrying you come with a life insurance policy? Because at this point, I feel like that's a requirement." She joked, standing and moving to start on James.

"That can be arranged, you know." Sirius chuckled, his adrenaline from the fight finally wearing off and sleep setting in.

"Rest, love." Hermione's voice called. "You'll be better in the morning."

"Maybe one day," Sirius muttered, half asleep. "You'll marry me."


	31. Howlin' for You

**_A/N: Happy Belated Birthday to the Boy Who Lived, Harry Potter!_**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 22, 1979 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Hermione was in the kitchen, her hair pulled back out of her face, and music playing softly on the radio in the living room. She was chopping up veggies for a chicken stir fry, one of Sirius's favorites. It was technically his night to cook, but since she'd gotten done at St. Mungo's early that day, she wanted to surprise him. She hummed along to the radio as she worked, hearing Sirius come in the door behind her.

"Hey, you." Sirius said, smiling as he saw her in the kitchen. "What are you doing? It's my night." he asked, hanging his keys on the peg by the door. They'd had to change their locks after the incident the month before, but luckily the landlord understood.

"Got off early." She shrugged. "I wanted stirfry and you've had to stay late here recently. I didn't think you'd be home so early, actually."

"Yeah, it was a light day for training. Something to do with a skirmish in Norfolk." he said.

"Why didn't you go?" Hermione asked. "Usually they take you to things like that."

"Moody thinks I'm 'still on the mend.' Bollocks, but if it means I get to see you a bit earlier, it's fine by me."

"Norfolk, wasn't that one of the areas that Remus reported werewolf activity on his return journey?" Hermione asked. Sirius nodded, leaning against the counter behind her.

"Sure was. Moody didn't have time to brief me, but sounded like Greyback's doing." He sighed.

"But it's completely the wrong phase in the lunar cycle for a werewolf attack." Hermione said, frowning as she grabbed a pepper to slice. "It's a new moon tonight."

"Doesn't matter to him, he'll kill with his bare hands as a wizard. He's ruthless." Sirius spat. "Frank told me about some of the cases he worked involving Greyback. Not pretty."

"You'd think that would make Moody want to take you _more_." Hermione said.

"They don't know the amount of interaction I have with Remus around the full moon, remember? They think we steer clear of him. If he knew how directly I was involved, and about my animagus… I have a feeling I'd rarely be home." He chuckled.

"Did Dumbledore reassign you yet, by the way?" Hermione asked, preparing the veggies to cook. "Lily said he reassigned James last week, and they're working together now. Less tailing Death Eaters, more confronting and tracking them down."

"I think he's much the same as Moody, personally." Sirius sighed. "Thinks I'm still on the mend and wants to give me time to heal up."

"They're not wrong, you know. Taking some time to heal isn't a bad thing. I know James and Lily are taking some time off from the Order."

"Yeah, I think she needed some time after her dad passed." Sirius sighed. "Man, what is this, the Year of Parental Death?"

"Whatever it is, I think it brought Lily and James closer together. They were fighting a lot before Aunt Effie and Uncle Fleamont passed. More than normal. But Lily really stepped up when shit hit the fan." Hermione said.

"She was his rock," Sirius agreed. "And now he's doing his damnedest to be hers." Hermione smiled at him over her shoulder.

"I know how that is." she said, adding the veggies to her skillet and covering it.

"I want to be like that." Sirius said simply.

"You are." Hermione said, turning around to look at him.

"I sometimes question how good of a job I do at protecting you. At being there for you, taking care of you." Sirius said, padding over to her and taking her into his arms.

"Sirius, you're more than I could ever ask for," She smiled up at him. "I can take care of myself, you know. But I will say this," she looked down, blushing. "You finally taught me how to ask for help."

"I'm still working on the asking for help thing." He said, nuzzling her neck. "We work very differently. But I'm glad we do. It seems like you're a piece of me that's been missing for far too long."

The pan on the stove gave a hiss and Hermione pulled away to check her veggies, turning down the heat and stirring them.

"You share my hopes and dreams, Hermione." Sirius said. "And I want you to be mine."

"I'm already yours, what are you talking about?" she frowned, but he veggies were too close to done to take her eyes off of them.

"Maybe one day you'll marry me?" he said. She took her veggies off the heat and turned around.

"You've said that quite a- _Merlin._ " Hermione said, her hands flying to her mouth. Sirius knelt on one knee, a diamond ring in his hand. "Are you serious?"

"Well, I'm certainly not James." He said with a grin. She laughed, taking the ring from his hand.

"I don't know what to say." She murmured.

"Say yes." He said, rising and closing the space between them, brushing a stray hair that had escaped her hair tie off her face. She looked up at him, into his bright, grey eyes, and nodded.

"Yes, Sirius." She whispered. His face lit up and he picked her up, spinning her around the little kitchen.

"Just wait til I tell James! He's been trying to get me to propose for _months_. I told him I had to wait for the right time." he chuckled, giddy.

"You've been setting this up all this time," Hermione said with a grin. "Since the first time you said that to me, back when James and Lily got engaged!"

"You caught me." He chuckled.

"You've been planning this for over a year?"

"I've been planning this a lot longer than you'd think. Started planning it back in school, when I was helping James figure out how he was going to propose to Lily. But the final deciding factor was Aunt Euphemia." He said.

"What?" Hermione asked, her brows pulling together.

"Her last words to me, Hermione. The ones I wouldn't tell you?" He said, looking her over. "'Marry that girl, Sirius.' She wanted us to be together from the moment we told them. I was upset that she didn't get to see the ring."

"How long have you had it?" She asked, looking him over. "James carried Lily's ring for months."

"I just got it today. I've been going to the jeweler's every day for a month. Looking for the right ring. Everything they had was too flashy, or just didn't fit your style. This…" he said, taking the diamond and platinum solitaire ring from her, and slipping it on her left hand. "This is simply beautiful, just like you."

"I love you, Sirius." She murmured, looking up at him. He kissed her, this kiss different than any they'd shared before. Hermione could feel the love he had for her in her very soul, radiating through her. They finally broke apart, and Sirius smiled.

"I love you, too, Hermione."

There was a knock on the door just then, and Sirius frowned, looking in the direction of the door.

"Are you expecting anyone?" He asked. She frowned as well, shaking her head. Sirius released her and moved to the door, checking out the peephole before opening the door to reveal a worse-for-wear Remus, accompanied by James and Lily.

"I hope we're not intruding or anything." Remus said, running a hand over his face. "I just got a bit of bad news and needed the company."

"You're not intruding at all, Moony, I've told you that. You're always welcome in our house." Sirius said.

"Well, I'm glad you interrupted me while I was cooking, love. Looks like I need to make enough for three more." She laughed.

"How did he interrupt you?" Lily asked, crossing her arms and looking over Sirius's goofy grin carefully.

"He proposed." She said. Lily squealed, rushing to examine the ring.

"They finally have a decent ring in stock?" James asked. Sirius nodded, watching the girls' excitement. "Well I hope you're happy, mate. You lost me a hundred galleons."

"What did you bet on with stakes that high?" Sirius asked.

"He thought you'd make a scene in public. He was positive you would, actually." Remus said.

"Well, I mean, you're kinda a drama queen, Pads. I fully expected a spectacle." James said.

"He proposed in the kitchen, while I was a mess, and I couldn't be happier." Hermione said.

"And _that's_ why I didn't make a scene." Sirius said. "I may be a _drama queen_ , as you put it, Prongs, but Hermione isn't."

"Remus, you said you got a bit of bad news?" Hermione said, and Sirius returned to the kitchen to help her finish up dinner while their guests sat at the table nearby.

"Yeah. Mum passed away early this morning. Heart attack."

" _Year of Parental Death._ " Sirius murmured under his breath, and Hermione whacked him with her wooden spoon.

"Dad's losing his mind, so I'll be staying with James and Lily for a bit." Remus continued.

"Let us know if you need a couch to crash on if married life gets to you a little too much." Sirius said, winking at James. Hermione heard it was a genuine offer, and based on Remus's smile, he did, too.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Remus." Hermione said. "But I know you'll probably get sick of hearing that in a day or two."

"I just needed to be with people who understand." He said, nodding and smiling up to Hermione. She handed her spoon to Sirius and moved to hug her friend.

"We're here for you, Remus. Always." She whispered. She stood again, looking him over. "I'm glad you came."

She returned to her stirfry once more, finally getting around to cooking without interruptions, though now the chatter of her friends joined the faint music coming from the radio in the living room. Sirius wrapped his arms around her from behind as she cooked and she smiled, content.


	32. The Locket

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, and I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _September 26, 1979 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Sirius awoke in the middle of the night to a familiar bang on the door. He groaned, pulling himself up and not bothering with putting on his dressing robe as he grabbed his wand and headed for the door, hoping the banging hadn't woken Hermione. He peered through the peephole and saw a mop of black hair pacing back and forth in the landing outside his door. He tugged the door open and Regulus rushed inside, resuming his pacing at an alarming rate.

"Reg, why are you always banging on my door at two in the morning?" Sirius sighed, clicking on a lamp and plopping into the chair, looking up at his brother.

"It's not two in the morning, it's four." He said matter-of-factly. "And I've just discovered a bit of information that is _very_ valuable to the Order." That caught Sirius's attention and he sat up a little straighter. "I think the Dark Lord has created a horcrux. Perhaps more than one, but I know of at least the one. We need to go get it, and destroy it, before he finds out that I'm helping the Order."

"Slow down." Sirius said, holding up a hand. "What in the bloody hell is a horcrux?"

"Dark magic, very Dark magic." Regulus said, wringing his hands. "To create a horcrux you must intentionally damage your soul. You must kill someone. The object itself is created by trapping that piece of soul that is severed during the act of murder in a vessel. Should its creator's mortal body be killed, he would not truly die a proper death, as that fragment of soul in the vessel lives on."

"He'd become immortal." Sirius said, understanding.

"Essentially." Regulus said. "Voldemort is terrified of death, that much about him has always been true. It's why he named his followers 'Death Eaters.' He wants to escape death himself. I've suspected something like this for quite some time, but it wasn't until he asked to borrow a house elf for a task that I knew." Regulus balled his fists up until his knuckles were white.

"What happened, Regulus, talk to me." Sirius said, seeing that his brother was close to breaking. He knew how much he loved the house elf that had been his constant companion during the summers.

"He came to us, the Dark Lord. He had need of a house elf, he had a task that needed doing. And of course, only a fool denies the Dark Lord what he wants. I volunteered Kreacher, hoping to secure my position in his ranks further." He spat, unclenching his fists just to clench them again. "He came to collect Kreacher yesterday, even speaking to Mother to thank her for her contribution. I swear, she nearly fainted," He rolled his eyes. "He collected Kreacher and left. It wasn't until earlier this evening, midnight, that Kreacher returned. He was in pain, he looked ill and he was reliving horrible memories. I was able to nurse him back to health after a few hours, but when he told me what occurred…" he said, his face going pale.

"The Dark Lord took him along with him to test his defense mechanisms around the hiding place for what Kreacher described as a locket. He told me how to get there, said something about blood, and a boat that came out of the water, and a glowing potion in the middle of a black lake. He was forced to drink the potion, it was what caused him so much pain. Then, the Dark Lord left Kreacher there _to die._ I'd ordered him back to the house once the Dark Lord was done with him, and that was his saving grace. He was able to apparate out of there, due to his being a house elf. I don't reckon it'll be so easy for a wizard."

"Why did you come to us with this, Reg? You've known You-Know-Who thought wizards superior to house elves for years." Sirius asked, with a frown.

"Because I offered him the servant of the House of Black, and he left him to die." Regulus said, puffing out his chest. "Kreacher as good as raised us, and I'll not tolerate _anyone_ intentionally doing him or my family harm. I very nearly went to that cave this very night, Sirius." Regulus turned, his grey eyes meeting Sirius's.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked.

"I had a plan. I was going to have Kreacher take me back to that cave, show me where this horcrux is hidden, and leave me there. He would have been ordered back to the house with orders to destroy the horcrux. Then you'd all have a chance in bringing Voldemort down."

Regulus looked defeated, he stopped his pacing and deposited himself on the couch. He was far from the popular quidditch player Sirius had known in school. This war had taken its toll on them both, it seemed.

"I want him dead, Sirius. I want this to be over. I want my family to be safe, once and for all. I very nearly went to my death tonight in an attempt to save you. In hindsight, that would have been foolish and I'm glad I didn't. But the fact remains, _we have to do something_. This is your chance, the Order's chance, to take him down. Go to Dumbledore, he'll understand everything. He'll be able to piece the rest of this mess together."

Sirius sighed, scrubbing a hand over his face. His little brother had nearly gone on a suicide mission to help the Order. He had come to him instead. He was overcome with several emotions all at once- pride for his brother, relief that he was okay, anger at Lord Voldemort, and a fierce sense of loyalty to both his brother and the Order. It seemed now, they were on the same side.

"Have a talk with Kreacher, would you?" Sirius said. "Let him know that should I call, it's imperative he cooperate. Dumbledore is going to need the exact details of this place. But I want you to know, Reg," Sirius said, holding his brother's gaze firmly. "Your name will be mentioned. I will not have my brother landing in Azkaban, especially not when he's played such an important part in this information."

Regulus smiled at him, a half smile that didn't reach his eyes. Sirius knew that Regulus would gladly serve time in Azkaban for crimes he did not commit if it meant his brother was alive and free. He'd do anything to protect his family. There was never a time when Sirius understood his brother more than he did in that moment.

* * *

 _October 5, 1979 Hogwarts, Scotland - Headmaster's Office._

"Thank you for meeting with us, sir." Sirius said, sitting next to Hermione across from Dumbledore. Sirius had told Hermione all about what transpired between him and his brother the morning after, as she hadn't woken up throughout their conversation. She had insisted they write to Dumbledore at once, requesting a meeting and Sirius couldn't agree more.

"Of course, I regard Order members as quite a high priority, especially you two. You've proven yourselves quite the informants time and again." Dumbledore said.

"Sir," Sirius began, "The information I have today, before I give it to you, I need to ask something of you." Dumbledore arched his brows, his long, spindly fingers folding together to lay flat on his desk.

"Is that so? Well then, go on, Mr. Black." He said.

"My brother, Regulus. He's been feeding me information about the Death Eaters since we were both in school. He's the one who provided the information that we have for you today. I need to know that he won't go to Azkaban after this is all said and done." Sirius said.

"Hm. Very interesting." Dumbledore said. "And why doesn't your brother simply defect?"

"If he defects, he'll be forced into hiding, or killed. He's far more useful to the Order as a spy and we all know it." Sirius said with confidence. He'd always looked up to Dumbledore, but Merlin, if the man didn't intimidate him. He was always a step or two above the rest of the wizarding world, a god among men. Dumbledore nodded, a twinkle in his bright blue eyes.

"Very well. I do believe you are correct in your assessment. So, what is this information that you have to offer the Order?"

"We believe that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has the goal of immortality. And has taken steps to achieve his goal. He requested from his followers a house elf, and my brother volunteered ours, Kreacher. Upon Kreacher's return he told Regulus of a cave which was guarded with enchantments, and a potion in the middle of a lake. The potion had something, a locket, in the bottom of it. Regulus believes that the locket is a horcrux."

"A horcrux?" Dumbledore asked, sitting back in his chair. "Yes, that would make sense. Tom has never been afraid to use Dark magic. But knowing him, I don't believe he'd put all his eggs in one basket, as it were."

"What do you mean, sir?" Hermione asked, with a frown.

"If this object is truly a horcrux, I believe Voldemort, the man once known as Tom Riddle, would have strived for more. If one promised resurrection after death, I believe he would have thought more would ensure immortality. But how many, and what are they?" Dumbledore pondered, standing and strolling to the window. "Hermione, did you know anything about these horcruxes in your time?"

"No, sir, this is news to me." She said.

"I will have to look into this further. There is a lot more research into this that must be done before we can proceed further." Dumbledore said.

"What about the horcrux that we _know_ of? What do we do about it?"

"For the moment, nothing." Dumbledore said simply.

"What? We know where the cave is, we know the defenses, _why_ should we not storm the cave immediately?" Sirius said, a panic rising in his chest. "I will not sit idly by while my brother could be nearer to death by the hour!"

"Mr. Black." Dumbledore said coolly, a tone Sirius had never heard him use, but that scared him senseless. "Your brother is not the only life I am accountable for, and I will remind you that I have many years more experience in magic than you. We will not be storming this cave on an impulse, and for several reasons which it seems you have not thought through.

"Voldemort has recently been to the cave himself, ensuring that all the protections were in place. Who's to say he does not have something monitoring the entrance, or would you _like_ the Dark Lord to know that you've found the secret cave to one of his undoubtedly most prized possessions? And should you go after this locket, and the Dark Lord were to find out, your brother would most assuredly be outed as a traitor. After all, who would know about this place other than the house elf he took there, and his master? If there are more horcruxes that Voldemort is hiding, it would do no good to rush into getting and destroying one when we have no idea what the others are. It is wiser to gather out intel before we send out the troops."

Sirius fought the urge to squirm in his seat, forcing himself to look Dumbledore in the eye and not move a muscle. Part of him, a part left over from several terrifying incidents with his father as a child, wanted to hide, perhaps even cry. Another part wanted to lash out, that was the angsty teen Sirius had been in school. But the part of him that won out was the man he had grown into; he knew when to accept he was wrong. He knew that Dumbledore was only doing what he must for the greater good. Sirius sighed, his shoulders dropping and his eyes sliding to the floor in defeat.

"My dear boy," Dumbledore spoke again, his voice soft. Sirius glanced back up at him and he could see his facial expression had changed to one of pity. "I often forget that you are barely more than a child. This war has taken its toll on all of us, and I apologize sincerely that you are caught up in all this. You have much to learn, Sirius. But I am proud, indeed of how far you've come."

Sirius nodded, sitting back in his chair. Hermione put a comforting hand on his arm.

"Don't worry, love." She said. "Regulus is safe, for now. If we do not act on the information, he has no way of knowing it was leaked." Sirius nodded again, and Dumbledore turned from the window, returning to the desk.

"Right you are, Hermione, dear. Now, enough Order business. How about a spot of tea? You've yet to tell me about the engagement." Dumbledore said, with a smile. Hermione smiled widely and even Sirius found it in him to grin.

"Let the Dumbledate begin." Dumbledore announced, winking at Sirius. He blushed and threw a glare at Hermione, who was laughing so hard, she nearly fell out of her chair.

"Let the Dumbledate begin, indeed." Sirius mumbled, sinking further into his chair.


	33. Motorbike

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _November 24, 1979 London, England- Diagon Alley_

Hermione never really needed an excuse to go shopping with Lily, as she lived in an apartment above one of the shops in Diagon Alley, but when Sirius told her that he and the guys had plans in Hogsmeade, she wasted no time making plans with Lily to go shopping. But they weren't shopping in Diagon Alley today. No, Hermione and Lily had opted to browse the shops in Muggle London instead.

"I never know what to get James." Lily said. "The man has everything he could ever want."

"You could always make him something?" Hermione suggested.

"Hermione, you know I'm terrible at crafts. Remember that time you tried to teach me to knit?" She said, glancing over at the other woman. Hermione winced.

"Yeah. Maybe we should stick to store-bought gifts, then." She said, peering in the window of the closest store. "What about a new pair of jeans? Or a jean jacket? He wouldn't wear leather, like Sirius."

"You know, that's not a bad idea. I don't think the man, for all his love of Muggle music, knows how to shop like a Muggle." She sighed.

"Sirius has the opposite problem." Hermione laughed. "He shops like a Muggle most of the time. You would not _believe_ how many pairs of jeans that man owns."

"I just assumed he owned one pair and never washed them." Lily shrugged and the girls giggled, turning into the store and heading for the section where they saw men's denim jackets hanging on a rack.

"So what were the boys getting up to today that they had to go to Hogsmeade anyway?" Lily asked, looking through the rack of jackets at the prices and sizes.

"Sirius said something about James having some news for them?" Hermione said, looking up at Lily. She saw something in her eyes before a grin spread across her face.

"So this is how he's telling them." She said, smiling.

"Telling them what?" Hermione asked, narrowing her eyes at her best friend. Lily giggled and looked through the rack again, plucking a jacket from the rack and looking it over.

"Do you think James needs a medium or a large?" She asked, holding the jacket up to assess it.

"A large, he's filled out a bit since school." Hermione said, looking at the jacket. "But you're avoiding my question."

"I know." Lily smiled, putting the jacket over her arm and moving over to the men's dress shirt section. "Have you decided the colors of the wedding yet?" She asked.

"It's not official yet, but I think we're doing navy with accents of royal blue and gold." Hermione said, pointing out one of the dress shirts. "But once again, you're avoiding my question, Lily." She said. Lily sighed.

"Okay, you really want to know?" Lily asked her with a sigh. Hermione nodded. "So you remember Sirius's birthday party earlier this month?" She asked.

"Of course." Hermione said, chuckling. "James had a little too much to drink and you were tipsy. It was sort of hilarious to be honest."

"Well, you know how James gets when he's drunk." Lily said, rolling her eyes, but she blushed a bit as she looked through some of the jeans on a shelf.

"Handsy, you mean?" Hermione snorted.

"Well, we went home that night, and things got a little heated." She said. "And, well, we forgot to use protection." Hermione stopped dead as she realized what Lily was telling her.

"Wait. You're pregnant?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant." Lily said, looking up sheepishly at Hermione. Her first instinct was to hug her best friend. Her next instinct was to giggle uncontrollably.

"Oh great. I get to explain to Sirius that I broke his fiancee." Lily said, looking her over with a smirk.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's just-" She looked around, realizing they were still very much in the middle of a Muggle shop, and that she probably shouldn't explain just then. "You all done? Let's pay and I'll tell you outside." Lily nodded, eyeing her friend as she walked to the counter to pay for the jacket she'd picked out. Hermione waited for her, and they walked out together.

"So what was so funny?" Lily said.

"It's just so weird." Hermione said. "My current best friend is carrying my 'future' best friend, who's actually my best friend in my _past_. It's strange to think someone I knew for five years will have never met me in this time. Also, the child I knew for five years… was an _accident_." Hermione burst out laughing.

"You knew my child in the future, Hermione, right?" Lily asked. Hermione nodded. "Then why do you keep referring to them as 'the child'? You knew their gender. And their name. Why not use it?"

"I don't want to influence you." Hermione said. "So many things have changed about the past. As far as I know, your child may not even be the same gender in this timeline." she explained. "Trying to live in the moment when everything is sort of like deja vu is… interesting."

"I never even thought about how weird this is going to be for you, if you don't go back." Lily said, looking down. "I'm sorry it's like this."

"It gives me a different perspective on things." Hermione said, shrugging. "Allows me to see things a little clearer." They walked in silence, for the span of a few heartbeats until Hermione stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, nearly being run over by a group of Muggle boys behind her. Lily pulled her out of the way before she could be trampled, but Hermione still stared fixedly at the alley next to them. Lily followed her gaze and groaned at what she saw.

In the alley, beside a garbage can and set of stairs that looked more like a fire escape than the entrance to someone's house, was an old black motorbike with a big red FOR SALE sign taped on the visor. Hermione hurried over to it, examining it thoroughly.

"You're not really thinking of buying that are you?" Lily asked.

"Of course I am." Hermione said. "You _know_ Sirius has been wanting a motorbike since school." she said.

"Yes, but _this_ motorbike, Hermione?"

"I have a feeling about this motorbike, Lils." Hermione said, with a grin. "I can't explain it." Hermione examined the for sale sign, which listed an address, the one for the flat above the alley, up the fire escape stairs, as the point of contact.

"Fine. But _please_ tell me you'll make him wear the proper gear?" Lily asked.

"If he gets this bike, Lils, the first thing we're buying afterward is two helmets." Hermione grinned.

"Two? You plan on riding with him?" She asked, brows pulling together.

"Not particularly, but take one look at this thing and tell me James _won't_ want to go for a ride." Hermione said. Lily laughed. "Speaking of which, I may need a place to store this until I can convince Sirius to move out of that blasted flat." Hermione groaned.

"We'll hide it in the back shed until Christmas. After that, you're more than welcome to keep it at the house until you move." Lily said. "Why am I condoning this?" Lily asked herself.

"Because you love us and want to see Sirius happy?" Hermione suggested.

"Sure, let's go with that. Now, let's go talk to this person about it." Lily said, resigned. Hermione beamed and led the way up the stairs, pleased with her discovery.

* * *

 _December 25, 1979 Godric's Hollow - Potter House_

Christmas Day was colder than usual, but the Potters and their guests didn't seem to mind. Hermione, Sirius, Remus, and Peter all sat in the little sitting room enjoying the cozy fire and each other's company while letting their Christmas dinner digest. They'd each opened the presents that were tucked under the tree, and James was already wearing his new jean jacket that Lily had gotten him. Hermione had bought Sirius a few smaller gifts, and he'd absolutely fallen in love with the boots she had bought him.

But the biggest gift was still under wraps. Hermione and Lily had enlisted Remus's help on the motorbike, knowing the reveal was going to take some doing. Hermione and Lily shared an excited smile across the room as they prepared themselves for the reveal and Lily gave a subtle nod to Remus. He stood, stretching.

"I think I'm going to step outside, I need a bit of fresh air." He said.

"Alright, mate?" James asked, brows furrowed.

"Fine, just fine. Ate a bit much is all." Remus waved his friend off with a smile. "I'll be back in no time." Sirius looked concerned, but nodded as his friend left the room. James started up a conversation about the English quidditch team after Remus left and Hermione and Lily waited for a lull in the conversation, giving Remus time to pull the bike out of the shed and set everything up. When the conversation seemed to be slowing, Hermione perked up a bit, as though suddenly remembering something.

"Lily? Does it seem like there should be two more presents? I feel like we've forgotten something."

"I believe you're right, Hermione. Let me check the closet again." She said, standing and crossing to the coat closet where she'd stored most of the presents. "Yes, there's two more here, for James and Sirius." She said, taking the two boxes from the closet and handing them to the boys. The two looked at each other and frowned, but Sirius merely shrugged and tore into the paper. He opened the box and pulled out a black helmet, frowning.

"What've you got, Prongs?" He asked, looking over at James.

"A helmet?" He said, looking round at his wife. "I know I'm clumsy, but I don't think it really warrants _this_ , you know." She laughed.

"What are you playing at, Hermione?" Sirius asked, looking over to her. She merely grinned and shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about. But perhaps you should go check on Remus in the backyard?" Hermione suggested.

"Both of you." Lily added, "Safety in numbers and all that." Both men looked thoroughly confused, but nonetheless rose from their seats to do as the women asked. The girls grinned, following into the kitchen and out the back door, where Remus sat astride the bike. Hermione wrapped an arm around Sirius's waist and looked up at his awestruck face.

"Hermione, what is that?" he asked weakly.

"I believe that's a motorbike, love." She said.

"What's it doing in James's backyard?" He asked.

"Oh, Lily offered to let me store it here. We don't have much in the way of a driveway, now, do we?" She said lightly.

"So what you're saying," Sirius said slowly. "Is that this helmet is for that bike?" He asked.

"Sure is." She said cheerily.

"And that bike," He said. "Belongs to…?"

"You, love. It's yours." She chuckled at his blank expression.

"You're kidding me?" He said, looking down at her.

"Not in the slightest. It runs fine, and it's only had one owner. And older man who took care of it really well. His wife sold it when he passed away, poor thing. I'm just lucky I had the money on me. She'd already had several offers." Hermione said, looking up to him. He was quiet for several moments and Hermione was scared for a moment that he didn't like it. That was, until he caught her up in a hug that crushed her lungs and swung her around.

"Have I ever told you how much I _fucking love you_ , Hermione?" He asked, not allowing her to answer and kissing her fiercely. She laughed when she let her breathe and looked up at him

"Not quite in those words, but once or twice, yeah." She said. "I take it you like it?"

"I love it. It's the best present I've ever gotten." He said, rushing over to examine the bike.

"I still have one question, though." James asked, holding up his helmet. "Why'd I get a helmet?"

"Do you really expect me to get on that deathtrap, James?" Hermione said, looking up at him. "Sirius needs a co-pilot, and who better than his best man?" she asked.

"You have a point," he said. "So when do we get to take it for a spin?" He asked, excitedly.

"When Sirius gets his license." Lily said, firmly.

"You're such a party pooper." James said.

"I'd prefer my child to have a father, thanks." Lily said, with a wry smile. James smiled back, but nodded.

"Suppose you're right. Guess my days of being reckless are numbered." James said with a smile, wrapping an arm around his pregnant wife.

"'Numbered' does not mean 'over', James." Sirius said with a grin. "We've got a couple more reckless nights in us yet."

"You know," James said, looking around at his friends. "Growing up isn't half as bad as I expected. Maybe an end to recklessness isn't such a bad thing."

"Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?" Sirius asked, with a laugh.

"I'm still here, Padfoot. I've got a few more reckless nights in me yet." James chuckled. But Hermione saw something in his eyes. Something that told her that Prongs was maturing. She smiled as she watched him guide Lily back into the house out of the cold, kissing her temple. These were the parents Harry deserved. This was the life Harry would have, even if she had to give her own to make it happen.


	34. The Beginning of the End

**_A/N: A very special thank you to ohnobetty, my beta reader, who made my cover image! I love it and her! If you haven't checked out her fic, I suggest you do that. It's called Albus & The Wolf and it's amazing. Also, another shout out to one of my amazing readers, nightbird! She's the main reason I've been updating so frequently, so you all have her to thank! Happy reading!_**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _January 30, 1980 Hogwarts, Scotland - Headmaster's Office_

It had been nearly two years since James Potter had been in the Headmaster's office, and he hardly expected to find himself there once more. His contact with Dumbledore these days was mostly floo calls and owl post, or, for especially confidential matters, Order meetings would do. To James's knowledge, the only Order members who regularly visited the Headmaster were Alastor Moody and Hermione. But there he sat, alongside Lily, and, for some reason, Frank and Alice Longbottom.

"Thank you all for coming." Dumbledore started, looking them over before he began. "I called the four of you here today because of a very important revelation that has come to light. I have recently witnessed a prophecy foretelling a magical child, born as the seventh month dies, who will unknowingly bring the downfall of the Dark Lord."

"But, sir," Lily said, "There must be more expectant parents than just us whose delivery date is the end of July?"

"You are correct, Lily." Dumbledore said, "But the prophecy has given us more clues than just that. The full prophecy is as follows:

" 'A child will be born as the seventh month dies, born to those who have thrice defied the Dark Lord. The child knows not, but he will bring the downfall of the Dark Lord, who will mark him as his equal. Neither shall live lest the other die. The child who will save us all is born as the seventh month dies.'"

"'Those who have thrice defied the Dark Lord.'" Alice said, "But that can't be right, Headmaster. We've only faced You-Know-Who twice."

"No, Alice, that skirmish in Cornwall earlier this month makes three." Frank said, gravely.

"Sorry if I come across as ignorant, sir," James said, "But why does this _matter_? Assuming Voldemort doesn't know-"

"Ah, there's the point, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. "Voldemort _shouldn't_ know. But it seems that when the prophecy was being told, there was another witness, a spy for the Dark Lord. I believe you all know one Severus Snape?"

"That little greaseball? You're kidding me!" James spat.

"I don't believe he heard the whole thing, but I am certain he will report back what he _did_ hear to his master. Which puts you four in grave danger." He said, seriously. "As such, I'd advise you go into hiding. The missions you currently have from me will be your last, and I would like to see you safely holed up no later than the end of February." he said.

"Sir, we can't. Work, and-" Frank started.

"I've already spoken to Alastor about it, Frank. He agrees. He can't lose two of his best aurors to this prophecy. If he needs you, he'll be in contact. Until then, he wants you safe." Dumbledore said. The two Aurors nodded.

"What about Gringotts?" James asked Lily. "You had a hard enough time when you told them you were pregnant." Lily just shrugged.

"I'll tell Higgins what's going on. If he doesn't like it, I'll leave." She said, looking over to Dumbledore. "Is it alright if I direct him to you for more information, sir?"

"Of course, dear." Dumbledore said.

"You'll just give up your job at Gringotts?" James asked. "Just like that?"

"If it means keeping our child safe, James, of course." She said, slipping her hand into his. He nodded, a small smile slipping into place.

"How would you recommend we go into hiding, Headmaster?" Lily asked.

"The most effective way would be a Fidelius Charm. I believe you are aware of them, yes, Lily?" The headmaster said.

"Yes. I've seen them used quite a bit on some of the pricier foreclosed houses I've dealt with." She said. "We'll need a secret keeper, right?" Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes. But I don't want you to decide who just yet. Talk to your friends, your family, and decide who you want it to be. I'd like to do the charm myself to ensure it is done correctly. I'll come to the house at the beginning of March."

James nodded. The war was here, and there was no way he or anyone else could ignore it any longer. Not when they were caught in the middle of it.

* * *

 _February 9, 1980 Godric's Hollow, England - Potter House_

"So you're going you're going off the grid?" Sirius asked. "Literally?"

"Yes." Lily answered, looking up at James, who was perched on the arm of her chair.

"There's more to it than just that, though." He sighed. "Listen, there's something that we've been meaning to talk to the two of you about." he said, standing up.

"What is it, James?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brows.

"We're in the middle of a war." He said. "And as scary as that is, I realize just how much danger we're all in. If history repeats itself, if the future that Hermione knows comes to pass-"

"That won't happen." She said firmly.

"But if _something does happen_ , Hermione. If something happens to Lily and I, I need to know our child will be safe. Would you two be his godparents? It would put our minds at ease knowing that if something happens, he would go to you two." He said, looking between them. Sirius's face was a mask that James knew well. He had a tendency to hide his emotions from the man who was like a brother to him, but James knew him well enough to see them anyway. Hermione, though, looked taken aback.

"Me?" She asked, surprise written across all of her features.

"Yes, you." Lily laughed. "Who better than my best friend to raise my child should something happen?" She said gently.

"I don't want to think about something happening to you." Hermione said, and James could hear the emotion cracking her voice. "Either of you."

"I know, 'Mione." James smiled softly at her. "But we need a backup plan. Just in case." She nodded.

"Sirius?" Lily asked. "What do you think?"

"I believe I told you two," he said, "That if there was ever anything we could do for you, let us know, and we would do it." he said, squeezing Hermione's hand. She smiled up at him. "I believe I speak for the both of us when I say that extends to this, as well."

"Then it's decided." James said. "Now, there's just one more thing that needs deciding."

"Our secret keeper." Lily said. Hermione took a deep breath to calm herself, and all three looked to her to make sure she was alright.

"I knew this conversation would come, eventually." She sighed. "The Prophecy has been told, then?" She asked. Lily nodded.

"Of course, you both know my first choice is you, Sirius." James said, pacing the floor with his hands in his pockets. "But the problem with that is the Death Eaters have been after Hermione for four years. They'll have been after Sirius too. Personally, I think you two need to move, by the way." He said.

"I think it's time we move, as well." Sirius said. "Arkie told me the other day he's had some odd people in the shop, asking about us. I don't know how much longer we'll be safe there."

"Well, that leaves Peter and Remus. We know from Hermione's information that Peter was a spy last time around, so we should probably go with Remus." James said.

"No." Hermione said.

"What?" Lily asked, "But Hermione, you said-"

"I know what happened in my time, Lils, but hear me out." She said. "Peter, the Peter that I know- he'd never intentionally hurt his friends. You should have seen him, when I explained to him the path he was on. I left him sobbing in an empty compartment on the train. I believe this Peter, _our_ Peter, is our best bet."

"Sirius?" James asked. "What do you think?"

"I think Hermione is right." He said. "But I think we need to tell Dumbledore who the _real_ secret keeper is this time." Hermione nodded.

"I honestly believe that he won't betray us. But if he does, the world will know the truth." Hermione said. James and Lily shared a look and nodded.

"I trust you, Hermione." James said. "We'll do it."

* * *

 _March 1, 1980 Godric's Hollow, England - Potter House_

"Okay, just relax." Hermione said, the stethoscope in her ears, and the chestpiece settled on Lily's belly. She nodded and James watched Hermione move the diaphragm around her bump, looking for the little pulse. She took removed the headset from her ears and draped the stethoscope around her neck and she came back around Lily.

"Well the baby's heartbeat sounds normal. This stethoscope is the closest I can get to an ultrasound right now, but it's got a charm or two on it." Hermione said. "Your blood pressure was great, so I think you should be all set for the next few weeks."

"Thanks for doing these check ups, Hermione." She said, hugging her friend. "It really makes things easier on us."

"Not a problem. I'll write up the report and give it to your midwife on Monday." Hermione said.

"I can't believe you're still working through all of this." James said, shaking his head at her.

"Sirius and Dumbledore have tried to get me to quit, at least for a time." Hermione said, "But I've just finished my Healer training. I want to use it a bit before we're forced into hiding."

"I know what you mean," Lily said. "I hate sitting in the house day in and day out. I feel so _useless_.

"Did Sirius tell you, by the way?" Hermione asked. "We're moving."

"No he didn't," James said, frowning. "Why, I thought you guys loved that flat?"

"We do, and Arkie's a great landlord, but we came home from the Order meeting last week to the place ransacked. There was a message left on the wall in the living room. 'We want the girl.' Sirius freaked out. Sent a patronus to Moody straight away and had him come check the place out. He left us a sneakoscope and put up some extra enchantments, but told us we needed to move as soon as we're able."

"Why didn't Sirius tell me?" James asked, feeling hurt. His best friend usually came to him with things like that.

"He's been working his ass off trying to figure out who did it." Hermione said. "It really struck a nerve with him, I think. Someone in our house. I think he started thinking about what would have happened if I'd been home." She said.

"Oh shit, yeah." James said, realizing what his friend was going through. If someone had come into his house while he was gone and Lily was there, he'd have been a mess. "Is that where he is now, still at the Ministry?" Hermione nodded.

"Ever since Frank and Alice went into hiding, Moody and Scrimgeour have gotten desperate. They've been taking Sirius on more and more mission. James, I'm worried about him." She said.

"About him not coming home?" he asked.

"No," Hermione said. "About him coming home, but losing himself on the way." James felt the color drain out of his face and he knew exactly what Hermione meant.

He'd been watching his friends, recently, when he got to see them. He'd been watching them as a war that he was forced to watch without helping in took its toll on the ones he held closest to his heart. Peter was growing thin, a little ball of nerves. He was to the point where he was only able to relax when all of them were in one place.

Remus was looking worse for wear than ever. These days, his transformations had been rough, and only Peter and Sirius had been able to accompany him on the nights of full moon, and sometimes even they weren't able to assist him, so he'd taken to locking himself in his old hideaway, the Shrieking Shack, during the moon.

And Sirius. James should have known Sirius was becoming obsessive with his work long before Hermione mentioned it. He barely talked to his friend any more, he mainly saw Hermione. He knew it wasn't healthy for him to get so caught up in hunting Dark wizards, but he also knew there was only one way to get him to see sense.

"I'll talk to him, Hermione." James vowed. "I think I know what's going on in his head."

"Thank you, James." Hermione said, standing and hugging him.

"Thank me after we've had the talk." He chuckled, hugging the woman back. "He may not like what I've got to say." Hermione arched a brow at him, but said nothing more.

James sighed as he release Hermione, thinking about what he was going to say to Sirius. He wasn't prepared in the slightest to have this conversation with Sirius, but he hoped his friend took it well, for both of their sakes.


	35. Don't Speak, Liar

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _March 13, 1980 London, England - Sirius and Hermione's Flat_

Sirius did not take the conversation well at all. He paced the floor of the living room, throwing glares up at his supposed best friend who stood nearly in the kitchen.

"What do you mean, I'm obsessive? I'm just trying to protect Hermione!" He spat.

"By leaving her home alone while you're out chasing Death Eaters?" James asked, staring him down.

"I haven't-" Sirius started angrily, before he stopped himself. He _had_ been working over quite a bit, but he didn't think about Hermione being home alone for an hour or so. She had the sneakoscope and she knew her way around a wand. "She can take care of herself."

"Yes, that's why you've been obsessively hunting down the arses responsible for ransacking your flat, right?" James asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Who told you about that?" Sirius said, his eyes widening. He hadn't talked to James in over a month, and he couldn't work out how he knew what had happened, and how he'd reacted.

"Hermione told us." James said. "She thought her friends ought to know that there were Death Eaters in the flat, funnily enough." he spat. "The rest, I figured out myself. Didn't take much to figure out why you've been working late, really. It's what I'd do if it were Lily." he said, his voice softening. "I _know_ why you're doing this, Sirius. But instead of leaving her and tracking down people that you're not even sure are a threat, you should be making sure she's safe."

"And how, pray tell, do I do that?" he asked, turning away to pace the floors again.

"Leave London." James said. That made Sirius stop in his tracks.

"What?" He said, without turning around.

"Get out of the city. There are a ton of little cottages for sale in the south, East Sussex has several little towns were you and Hermione can disappear. Hermione'd love it there. And haven't you been wanting to see the sea since we were kids?" James asked.

"No." Sirius said.

"You haven't? I distinctly remember you saying something about the sea in second year." James frowned.

"No, James. I mean, I'm not leaving London." he said firmly.

"And why not?" James asked, setting his jaw in the way Sirius knew meant he was determined to make Sirius see his side.

"There's too much Death Eather activity here. And I want to be close to the Ministry in case shit goes sideways." Sirius said.

"Are you a wizard or aren't you?" James asked. "You can apparate to the Ministry in a second. You don't need to live close. Hell, the McKinnons live in Cornwall and Marlene's never missed an Order meeting."

"Yeah, but-"

"And your excuse about too much Death Eater activity? Isn't that more than enough reason to _get the fuck out of town?_ " he asked. It was his turn to start pacing.

"Of course not. Chasing Death Eaters around town is a lot easier than chasing them around the country." He said.

"And it's a lot easier for you to be _tailed_ in town. It's a lot easier to lead them back to your flat. Back to the place where your fiancee stays alone, waiting for you to come home." he said, but before Sirius could retort they heard the metal stairs that led up to the flat creaking, and a muffled scream.

"Hermione!" They said together, jumping into action. James got to the door first and flung it wide, Sirius shortly behind, both men pulling their wands out as he saw two Death Eater thugs handling her roughly. She had a black cotton bag over her head, which must have been spelled to silence its wearer, as Sirius couldn't hear her.

" _Petrificus Totalus!_ " Sirius shouted, aiming for the two men.

" _Expelliarmus!_ " James shouted next to him, advancing down the stairs after the thugs. Sirius's spell hit the Death Eater holding Hermione and she fell to the ground, suddenly unbalanced. James caught the other man's wand and when he turned to run, Sirius sent a stunner at his back, sending him crashing face first into the street. Sirius rushed to Hermione, his fingers working to untie the black sack as quickly as he could. He felt her struggling beneath him and knew that she probably thought he was a Death Eater. He made quick work of the sack and Hermione gasped fresh air as she looked up at her rescuer with wide, scared eyes, before she saw that it was Sirius.

"I'm so sorry, love." he said, pulling her to his chest. James joined them and untied Hermione's hands, something that Sirius wasn't able to think about. He was an emotional wreck. He kept murmuring apologies and kissing her face and head, trying to convince himself that she was actually there and safe.

"Pads," James said. "There may be more of them, we need to move." Sirius looked up at him at that, nodding. He squared his jaw and looked down at Hermione.

"Are you okay, love?" He asked softly. She was shaking, but nodded.

"I'm… I'm f-fine." She said, looking far away. Sirius's eyes snapped up to James's.

"Can you take her back to the house? Get her warmed up and some food in her. I think she's going into shock." He said softly.

"What are you going to do?" James asked, his eyes hard.

"I'm gonna contact Moody. He can handle these assholes. Then I'm going to grab some clothes and the essentials we need, talk to Arkie about the rent, and meet you over at the house. I don't want her to step foot in this flat again." he said.

"So then you're moving?" James asked, helping Hermione up gently. Sirius nodded, turning to the Death Eaters and pointing his wand at them.

" _Incarcerous_." He looked over to his best friend supporting his fiancee and felt a rush of guilt. James had been right, all along. The longer he stayed in London, the more danger Hermione would be in.

"I'm getting the fuck out of London, Prongs." he said, gripping his wand with enough force that he was worried it might snap. James nodded once, before pulling Hermione closer to him and disapparating, leaving Sirius to his job.

* * *

 _May 2, 1980 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

Sirius and Hermione had made quick work of finding a new house after the incident in their flat. Lily had recommended the quaint town of Rye, where she'd gone on holiday with her parents growing up. Hermione had fallen in love will a little half-wood cottage with a courtyard garden, and Sirius didn't hesitate to buy it outright. It was a fair chunk of money, but with their combined inheritances and income from Mungo's and the Ministry, they had decided it was an investment worth risking.

They'd also decided to use a Fidelius Charm on the house, as well, at Dumbledore's suggestion. Sirius had been a paranoid wreck for nearly two weeks before Hermione had gone to talk to him about it. He looked over at his wife-to-be, who was busying herself making tea for James, Lily, and Dumbledore, who were gathered in their sparse living room. Sirius had made good on his promise that Hermione would not be going back to the flat. Neither of them had. Some of the furniture and most of their clothes were collected by Dumbledore himself, who had enlisted a few Order members to help out. But Sirius wasn't worried about things; Hermione had been nearly captured and that was what bothered him. He couldn't stand the thought of her in the hands of those Death Eaters, he still had nightmares about it. He refused to leave her side for more than a few minutes. He couldn't lose her.

So Dumbledore had come today to place the charm on the house and, hopefully, ease Sirius's mind. They'd named Lily their secret keeper, as she'd either be with Hermione at the house, or at her own house until she delivered. The whole situation worried Sirius, but there wasn't much more he could do. He resigned himself to sit quietly, watching as Hermione served the tea. The little group talked about the state of the Order, and the progression of the research about Voldemort's horcruxes.

"I've been profiling Tom for some time now, trying to track down people who may have known him before he became Lord Voldemort, to try to see the bigger picture." Dumbledore said, taking his tea from Hermione with a small nod. "From the sources I've gathered, I've determined that it's very likely he has more than one horcrux. I've learned of at least one other, though I'm still searching."

"Is there any way we can help?" Lily asked.

"I'm afraid staying safe is the only assistance I need from you, dear." He said with a smile. "Although…" he looked thoughtful for a moment before turning to Hermione. "Your control of your visions has gotten steadily better, if I'm correct, yes, Hermione?"

"Yeah," She said, a bit uncertain.

"I had a theory that I was wondering about regarding your visions." He said. "We know time flows from past to future, in a single stream. But what if it doesn't?"

"What do you mean, sir?" She asked, frowning.

"I mean, if you were able to come back to the past, back some twenty years, who's to say the same does not apply to your visions?" he said, with a smile.

"You're saying that I may be able to see into the past?" Hermione asked.

"A window to time itself," He said. "Truly an _astounding_ gift your visions have been." He told her.

"I'm not sure." Hermione said finally. "But I'll give it a go."

* * *

A dark form stood near a tree, huddled against the chilly evening wind. Black hair whipped at his face, but he didn't take his eyes from the house in front of him. Or rather, the place where the house should be. Severus Snape had arrived in Rye nearly an hour before; he'd placed a tracking spell on his former best friend the last time they'd seen each other in person that alerted him as to when she apparated. He had followed the second he'd gotten wind of it, and had made it to the little cottage in time to see Dumbledore himself cast the Fidelius Charm.

Severus, of course, had used a Disillusionment Charm so that he wasn't seen, and kept his distance, ensuring that he stayed under the radar of sneakoscopes or any other Dark detector. He merely stood beside the tree and watched the spot he'd seen the house disappear, knowing that somewhere within it, his Lily was hidden.

She was still _his_ Lily after all these years. She may have been wed to Potter for nearly two years, but he never forgot about her. He'd kept tabs on her carefully, making sure no Death Eaters got close enough to do her any real harm. He'd been doing the same for Hermione, to a lesser degree. Lily would be upset if her friend were killed. He'd finally wrapped his head around the whole _friendship_ thing. He'd been watching her every chance he got, he made it a point to learn how she acted with her friends, with James. He was slowly starting to see that the way she was around him- the way she _used_ to be- was different than how she was with James. She was the same Lily. But he never saw the spark in her eye that he saw when she was looking at James. He just saw that raw flame that was reserved for her friends. Reserved for Hermione, and once upon a time, for Severus himself.

He sighed, looking away from the spot he'd been watching. What was he doing? Why was he fighting so hard with himself about where he stood? He'd decided long ago, in a field in Cokeworth, where he stood with Muggles.

He heard a door squeak open, and looked up to see Dumbledore, Lily, and James leaving the little house. It was time to go. He watched her disapparate with James, followed quickly by Dumbledore. He took a deep breath. This war was getting bad, and he only hoped he was able to protect her half as well as she deserved. He spun on his heel and disappeared with a soft _pop_.


	36. Loved Not Wisely

**_A/N: I've been doing more of these than normal, but shout out to Heather Mouse, my mom friend, for helping me out in this chapter._**

 _Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _June 20, 1980 Cokeworth, England- Spinner's End_

There was a sticky heat in the air as the two figures hurried down the darkening street towards the last house on Spinner's End. It was sunset, and they knew Severus didn't take kindly to unannounced visitors after dark. The taller man led the way, knocking on the door swifty. The door opened a hair, and the shorter man knew that there was a wand hidden just out of view, always at the ready. When Severus recognized the two figures he opened the door wider, allowing the two into his home and sweeping the road behind them with his eyes to ensure they hadn't been followed. He closed the door and turned to face the two visitors.

"What are you two doing here unannounced?" Severus asked, looking the two of them over.

"We had to talk to you." the taller of the two said.

"And you couldn't be bothered to send an owl?" Severus spat, "Or, better, a patronus? You can cast one, can't you, Black?"

"Of course. But I'd prefer anyone watching your house to not see a silver crow delivering you messages. It would appear rather odd, don't you think?" Regulus said, "As for owls, well, they're being intercepted more and more by the days. I don't trust anything to owl post these days, do you, Peter?"

"N-no." Peter said, jumping at being called out so suddenly.

"Exactly," Regulus said, crossing his arms over his chest. "So, here we are. Tea would be lovely."

Severus glared at Regulus, but pushed past him to the kitchen to put the kettle on. Regulus followed after, but Peter trailed further back, not wanting to upset the dark man.

"Well, are you going to tell me why you've chosen to, ah, _visit_ with me, or not, Black?" Severus said, leaning haughtily against the counter while he waited for the water to boil.

"We know you've been trailing Lily Potter," he said bluntly.

"And what does that matter to you?" He said, sounding bored. "Last I heard, you had your own assignment. Trailing that bastard you call a brother."

"That _bastard_ has done more for Lily _and_ Hermione than your creepy arse has." Regulus said, his fists balling up at his sides. Peter looked between the two men, taking half a step back and nearly falling into a seat at the dingy table. Severus looked away from Regulus, busying himself with getting the tea ready.

"You don't think I haven't come to that conclusion myself?" He asked, barely audible to the two men across the room from him.

"So, why are you still _cowering_ behind the Dark Lord instead of _fighting_ against him?" Regulus asked, his voice rising angrily. Peter knew they'd had this conversation before, he could see it in Regulus's body language.

"How?" Severus asked weakly, turning to face Regulus. "By going to the Order and begging them to spare my life, only to risk it _further_ by working for them? Why on earth would I be so foolish?" he spat.

"Because you love her." Peter squeaked from his chair. Both heads snapped over to the shorter man.

"See, he gets it," Regulus pointed over to Peter. "Because, you know as well as I do as soon as the Dark Lord finds out that you've known the Potters' and Hermione and Sirius' location and didn't tell him… he's going to torture the information out of you, and then kill you. _And he will find out."_

"I've been careful." he murmured, looking at the floor.

"You've been foolish." Regulus spat.

"I've heard it said," Peter spoke up, not looking at either of the other men. "That it's easier to fight for what you love than to grieve for what you've lost." His eyes met Severus's across the room, for the moment ignoring Regulus all together. "You could be a hero, Severus. You could save Lily and everything she loves. You don't have to be the villain."

"She still loves you, Severus. You just have to see passed your jealousy, what would you rather have? Her dead because your candy ass didn't do anything, or be her friend again."

"She never loved me." he said softly. "She never loved me like she does him."

Regulus looked back at Peter with a look of disbelief. He turned back around, cocked his fist back and punched Severus in his overly large nose. "Will you move on? You are a 20 year old man, still pining over his schoolyard crush, and frankly it's a little pathetic. She'll never love you like that, sure. So you get what you get, and you don't throw a fucking fit."

Severus held his nose, which had started bleeding, looking Regulus over. He turned away from him once more to get a towel, and dripping blood on the floor as he went. Peter watched with wide eyes, his gaze also falling upon Regulus.

"Well, that was a bit excessive, don't you think?" he said, motioning to the bloody rag in Severus's hands.

"He works in excessive, I'm afraid it's the only way we're going to get through to him."

"I ask you again, Regulus," Severus sighed, his voice nasally. "What would you have me do?"

"Fight." He said simply. "I don't care why, I don't care what for. But you've got to fight, Severus." He said, his voice softer than it had been all evening.

"I'll fight," he said, removing the rag from his nose. "But you've got to show me how."

* * *

 _July 30, 1980 Godric's Hollow - Potter House_

Sirius and Hermione sat laughing at the dinner table as Lily asked James for the fourth time to run to the kitchen to get her some seemingly random food item to add to her plate. He resignedly stood from the table once again and Hermione giggled uncontrollably.

"When is he going to realize that you only do that to see if he'll let you get away with it?" She asked.

"Well, my guess would be 'never'." Sirius said, shovelling food into his mouth. Lily was _very_ pregnant, and Hermione thought it was hilarious how terrified James was of her increased temper. She had started staying with Lily and James during the day, Sirius going to work and meeting them at the house for dinner. And while Lily wasn't too worried about the baby or anything beyond how ready she was to have the child out of her, James was a nervous wreck.

He came back into the room, carrying a jar of pickles and sitting them down on the table.

"Before you sit down, could you get me a cup of-"

"Crushed ice?" James asked, setting a cup down in front of her with a smile.

"You're a saint." She said, reaching for the cup, but knocking it over as a contraction hit. Hermione glanced down at her watch, timing the contraction. James hovered near her, not touching her, but close enough to act if she needed him.

"Okay." She panted. "It's over."

"Forty seconds." Hermione said.

"They're getting longer." Lily said, taking a pickle from the jar and biting it.

"It won't be long now." Hermione agreed. James sank into his seat, face pale.

"Alright there, James?" Sirius asked.

"Just nervous." He said. "I'm so worried I'm gonna mess up somehow."

"Don't worry, mate, Everyone messes up. But Lily is here too, and you've gone me and 'Mione. It'll all be just fine." Sirius said, smiling at his friend.

"But what if-"

"No," Lily said, firmly. "No 'what ifs'. You're going to be a fantastic father, and _you are ready_ for this."

"Besides, it's not like if you mess up on this kid, you'll end up with Slytherin grandchildren or something someday." Sirius joked, but James looked even more panicked at that thought. Hermione hit Sirius in the chest, just as Lily cried out again, clutching the table. Hermione watched her watch again.

"It's only been six minutes." She said, looking at James. "And that one was forty-five seconds."

"I think we need to get you to Mungo's." James said, standing up. Lily nodded, reaching out to James to help her up. "Hermione, can you grab the bags?"

"Sure thing, James. You two go on, I'll floo in after you." Hermione said, standing and heading up stairs, quickly.

"I'll clean up here, then be straight on to the hospital." Sirius said, standing and kissing Lily's forehead. "Be strong, you're almost done."

* * *

 _July 31, 1980 London, England - St Mungo's_

Lily had spent a grueling twenty hours in active labor before Harry was finally born. Normally, the staff would have only let James back with her, but as Hermione was a trained Healer, she was not only allowed to be with her best friend, but she was allowed to help with the delivery, as well.

James had been by his wife's side during the whole ordeal. He hadn't slept yet, and Hermione knew they were both exhausted. As the mediwitch took little Harry to get cleaned up, and another came to tend to Lily, she kissed her friend on the top of the head, hugged James, and left the ward. They'd bring Harry back in no time and she wanted to give the little family their space before everyone else crowded in in just a few hour.

She stripped out of the sterile gown, took off the gloves, and made her way out of the ward. She'd mostly been support staff, so there wasn't a major need to scrub down, and she was exhausted, anyhow. She'd shower after she told the boys the good news.

Hermione walked into the maternity waiting room and all three of the boys jumped up. She laughed, greeting them each with a hug.

"How's Lily? How's the baby?" Sirius said, anxiously.

"They're both fine." She said, "It's a boy."

"A boy?" Remus said, excitedly. "I told him it'd be a boy!"

"Did you just win a bet?" Hermione giggled.

"Not an official one." He said, sheepishly. "At least, not for money."

"He bet James three chocolate frogs he'd have a boy."Peter explained.

"You bet in _chocolate frogs?_ " Hermione asked. "You four have a serious problem."

"When can we see Prongs Jr? Have they named him yet?" Sirius asked, excitedly.

"They haven't, but I have a feeling." Hermione smiled.

"Not fair, why do you always get to know things before me?" Sirius whined. Hermione chuckled.

"Because _you_ didn't suffer a life-threatening head injury that sent you back in time?" She suggested.

"Fair point." he said.

"Come on, they'll be taking him to the nursery soon, you'll be able to see him there." She said, taking Sirius's hand.

"I'm not gonna cry." He said, his voice giving away the early signs of tears already.

"You sure, mate?" Remus said. "Because I know I will."

* * *

 _August 5, 1980 Godric's Hollow - Potter House_

Hermione stood in the nursery, holding the baby for the first time since she left the delivery room. Lily sat in the rocking chair in the corner, James standing next to her. Sirius leaned over Hermione's shoulder, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"Hey there, Harry." Hermione murmured. "I've missed you so much. You really do look so much like your daddy. And you have your mommy's eyes. I can't wait to see where you go in this life. I'm going to try my hardest to keep you safe and happy. I love you, Harry."She looked down into the bright green eyes of her best friend in another life.

It was a surreal experience; she'd known the little boy in her arms for five years of her life. She'd thought of him as a brother until the incident in fifth year. Her world had been turned upside down and James and Sirius had, in some ways, replaced Harry and Ron. In others, she still longed to be part of her friends lives in any way she could. If that was by being her best friend's godmother this time around, she'd do it.

"Can I hold him?" Sirius asked, looking up to James.

"If you don't drop him." James said, with a smile. Sirius unwound himself from Hermione and James coached him through how to hold the baby. Hermione smiled as she laid Harry in Sirius's arms.

"Harry James Potter. What a name." He said, a wide smile on his face. "You're going to be so spoiled."

"There is no doubt about that." James said, clapping him on the back. He looked down at his son.

"Who's got you, bud? Is that Uncle Padfoot?" he asked.

"Uncle?" Sirius asked, looking up at James.

"Of course." James said. "We're brothers. Remember?"


	37. One Day

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _September 30, 1980 Godric's Hollow -St. Jerome's Church_

Hermione looked out the window of the church, towards the graveyard. That image had set the mood for her wedding, it seemed. She smoothed a hand down her dress and sighed. This would be nothing like James and Lily's wedding.

Her dress was a hand-me-down, ironically, the same one Lily had worn to Slughorn's Christmas party back in 1976. It wasn't by any means a wedding dress, but it didn't matter. They didn't have the money right now to go all out on a wedding. The money they were _going_ to use for the wedding had gone to paying off the house, furnishing the rest of the house, and making sure they had enough to eat. They were surviving, not thriving. And after all, they were in the middle of a war. She didn't need to waste money on a dress she'd only wear once.

Hermione jumped as she heard the door to the side room open and spun around to see Lily coming in, carrying three boxes. She was dressed in a navy blue cocktail dress with a gold ribbon around her waist. Her hair was in a quick updo- quick, because she'd been switching back and forth between helping Hermione and helping James with Harry so that James could help Sirius. Lily and James had offered to pay for the entire wedding, but Hermione had refused. They had a child, and it didn't matter how much money they had, Hermione was not going to accept money from them until one or both of them were able to earn an income.

"You look gorgeous." Lily said softly, with a small smile.

"Not as gorgeous as you did." she said, looking into a mirror.

"Stop that." Lily said, with a frown.

"It's true. Your dress, your...everything. It was beautiful. This is just-"

" _Beautiful._ " Lily said, setting down the boxes and walking over to her. "You've got to stop comparing yourself to me, ' aren't the same person. And let me tell you, I'm _glad_ that you aren't. You _are_ beautiful, and in case you haven't noticed, it's not James that will be standing at the end of the aisle waiting for you, it's _Sirius_. If there's anything I know, it's that I've seen him stare at you when you're wearing jeans and jumper. The dress doesn't make you beautiful, Hermione. You do that on your own."

Hermione's eyes watered for a moment before she leaned forward and grabbed her best friend into a tight hug.

"Where would I be without you?" Hermione murmured into Lily's hair.

"I don't like to think about it, honestly." She said, then moved to the boxes. "So I have a couple of presents for you."

"Didn't I say no presents from you two?" Hermione huffed.

"And since when do James and I listen?" Lily asked, handing her the first box. Hermione unwrapped it, removing the lid and revealing a simple silver pendant. It was shaped like a teardrop, and a single pearl was placed in the center. She'd seen it before but she couldn't place where.

"James said that was part of his mother's collection. I figured you should have it. She was like a mother to you too. And I told James, since you already had something borrowed, and this is something old-" She said picking up the second box. "We might as well buy you something new."

Hermione opened the smaller box and nearly dropped it when she saw what was inside. A set of pearl earrings stared back at her.

"Lily, these must have cost-"

"It's no matter, Hermione. We could afford it. It didn't put us out." She said, calming the other woman.

"So that's-" Hermione said, taking inventory of all she'd received. "Something old, something new, something borrowed- so all I need is-"

"Something blue." Lily said, handing her the third box. Hermione opened it and blushed bright crimson.

"Isn't the garter thing a little- you know, dated?"she asked.

"You're worried Sirius is going to make a show of removing it, aren't you?" Lily smirked, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Of course I am. Have you _met_ Sirius?" She said, looking up at Lily. She laughed.

"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Lily said, taking the necklace and helping her put it on.

"How's Harry handling all the people?" Hermione asked, removing her earrings and replacing them with the pearls Lily had bought her.

"He's been passed around and doted on, he's worn out. He might just sleep through the ceremony." She said.

"Remus will be holding him, right?" She asked.

"Yeah, that way he can see James at the very least if he wakes up." Lily said.

"Uncle Moony to the rescue." Remus said, opening the door just a hair. "Almost ready, ladies?"

"Sure are." Lily said, "Just a few more minutes."

"Should I have the guys head up to the front?" He asked.

"Yeah, make Sirius sweat." she giggled.

Hermione took a deep breath, pulling the garter into place as the door closed. She looked herself over in the mirror again, before turning to Lily.

"Okay. Let's do this." She said.

* * *

Hermione and Sirius had wanted a simple ceremony, and Hermione had thought she'd gotten her wish when she walked down the aisle. It was a small assembly, mostly Order members and Auror friends. The officiant was a Ministry official, and he'd wasted no time getting right down to business.

Hermione was nearly in tears at Sirius's vows, and she finally broke down when she started to read her own. She heard Lily quietly crying behind her as well, but that all stopped when the doors of the church burst open and Walburga Black in all her maliciousness burst into the room.

" _Sirius Orion Black, what in the hell do you think you're doing?"_

"Mother?" Sirius asked in horrified shock.  
"Has it been so long since you've seen me that you don't even recognize me, you wretched boy?"

"I don't think that I could ever forget that face. Nor that voice." Sirius spat, venom dripping from each word. "But I'm not exactly clear on how you knew about this. Or why you showed up. Care to enlighten us?"

"How I found out is none of _your_ business. I'm here because you're marrying a filthy blood traitor. The least I can do is stop it before you tarnish _our good name_ further."

Hermione barked laugh, stepping down from the altar towards her soon-to-be mother-in-law.

"If I recall correctly, he was cast out of the House of Black. His name was burned off the tapestry. You don't claim him as a son. Why on Earth would you think you have _any_ say in this? It's no longer _your_ family name, Walburga." She said, noticing a figure racing up to the doors outside the sanctuary. "It's _his._ And he can do with it what he damn well pleases!"

"Because I'm still his mother, burned or not. I. Have. Say. Frankly, I'm disgusted that he would pick _you._ A Potter. He could have at least chosen someone actually on the Sacred 28."

"You _are_ aware, aren't you, that Dorea Black is my grandmother?" Hermione said cooly. The figure had caught up to Walburga, but he lingered at the door. It was Regulus. Hermione suddenly knew that the invitation she'd sent to him had been intercepted.

"I know, darling. It's your only saving grace, but as far as I'm concerned - you're no better than that filthy mudblood you call a friend." That was the last straw for Hermione. She pulled her wand from the holster she wore on her arm, under the sleeve of her dress, pointing it at Walburga.

"You are not welcome here. I suggest you leave." She said, her voice barely containing her rage.

"I was never welcome, _sweet girl_ and yet I came anyway. Your wand - nor your threats - scare me."

The entire assembly rose as one, drawing their wands as well. Walburga looked shocked as she was met by no less than thirty wands pointed her way. She fumbled for her wand, but Sirius was quicker.

" _Expelliarmus._ " He shouted. "Now, _dearest Mother_ , I believe you were asked to leave. I suggest you do so before one of the Aurors in the room, _myself_ included, decides that you belong in Azkaban."

"You and your pretty little bride better watch your backs." she huffed, turning and coming face to face with Regulus. She looked back over her shoulder with a smirk, and stalked past him.

"Be a good boy, Regulus, and grab my wand, would you?" She asked, not bothering to look back to see if he would obey. Regulus stepped further into the room, staring at the drawn wands of the assembly. Hermione's face softened as she saw his frightened expression, and she lowered her wand, Sirius, James, Lily, and the rest of the gathering quickly following suit.

"I- I'm sorry. She grabbed the owl before I could stop her." Regulus spluttered.

"It's okay, Reg." Sirius said on a sigh. "She would have found out eventually, any how."

"Still- she ruined your wedding day." he said, not meeting his eye.

"She didn't ruin it." Hermione said. His eyes snapped up to her. "She just showed me that I have friends who have my back through everything." she smiled. "I saw you draw your wand, Reg. I know you had our backs too." Regulus smiled shyly at her, then strode down the aisle a bit, collecting his mother's wand.

"You're more than welcome to st, Reggie. Or come to the reception after." Sirius said, softly, though with the silence in the room, it could have been a shout. He smiled sadly at his brother.

"I'd better get this back to her."He said, holding up her wand. "But I'll come visit soon." he nodded at them and turned, walking quickly away. He paused at the door, looking back over his shoulder.

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Black. Welcome to the family, Hermione." Then he was gone, shutting the doors behind him.

"Well, that was interesting." James said to break the tension. Sirius grabbed Hermione's hand and led her back to the altar.

"Let's finish what we started, love." Sirius said with a smile. Hermione nodded, and the officiant picked up where he left off, as though nothing had ever happened.

* * *

 _October 21, 1980 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

"That is the _last_ time I do any dangerous-ass mission for Dumbledore with no backup save a house elf." Regulus said, pacing back and forth.

"You got the locket, though, right?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah, I got the damned locket." Regulus said, throwing it on the coffee table. Hermione caught it before it could skid off the table and disappear under the couch.

"What happened that pissed you off this much, Reg?" Sirius asked, standing and leaning over the edge of Hermione's chair to examine the locket.

"Inferi, that's what happened." He said, "I barely made it out of there alive. Luckily Kreature was able to get me out before those _things_ had a chance to grab me."

"The Dark Lord has access to inferi?" Hermione gasped. "I thought that was just a horrible rumor?"

"Apparently not." Regulus spat, plopping down on the couch across from her. "So how do we destroy this thing?" He asked.

"I'm not sure." Hermione said. "We need to talk to Dumbledore." Hermione said, glancing to Sirius.

"You mean to tell me," Regulus said, "That old bat sent me after a Dark object that we're not even sure how to destroy?"

"Well, _we_ may not know how to destroy it, Reg." Hermione said, "But something tells me Dumbledore might have a bit firmer grasp on what we're dealing with here."

"I hope so." he said, darkly.

"What've you gathered on your end? Any other possible horcruxes?" Sirius asked.

"There's a book. He keeps it locked away. I saw it the other day and he looked like he wanted to kill me." Regulus said.

"What sort of book?" Hermione asked.

"It was just black. Small. Looked like a journal of some sort." he shrugged. Hermione paled.

"We _really_ need to talk to Dumbledore." She said. "He needs to know about the Chamber of Secrets."


	38. Things Unsaid

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _October 30, 1980 Hogwarts, Scotland - Headmaster's Office_

"So you saw a book, and you thought it might be relevant to the horcrux hunt because…?" James asked, looking over at Regulus from his perch on the arm of Hermione's chair. Lily was at home with Harry, but Hermione knew he'd fill her in when he got home. Hermione looked between the two men, then at the others. Sirius, Remus, Peter, Frank, Moody, McGonagall, and Dumbledore sat in a rough circle. While this meeting wasn't important enough to call in the entire Order, Hermione wanted the major players there, at the very least.

"He didn't think it was important." Hermione said. "I did."

"What?" James asked.

"There's some things we need to talk about." Hermione sighed. "And I asked Dumbledore to gather all of you so that we're all on the same page." she said, looking to Dumbledore to see if she should continue. When he nodded, she took a deep breath, pulling herself up in her seat.

"For those of you who don't know, I'm not from this time. I was sent back in time via an attack on the Ministry when a time turner fell on my head."

"Well, that clears things up a bit." Moody grumbled. "Been wondering where Dumbledore got all of his information about attacks he shouldn't've known about. S'pose you've been helping us longer than we realized, then."

"Indeed. Because of the incident, I started having visions. It took me a while to learn to control them, but I've gotten fairly good at it. But this meeting isn't about my visions. It's about my past.

"I've told Dumbledore what I could remember about Voldemort's activity in the future, but there were things that happened that I didn't connect the dots to until just now. So I wanted to tell you all in hopes that one of you might catch something that I missed."

"That sounds like an excellent idea," Dumbledore said, leaning forward.

"First year, Voldemort was after the Philosopher's Stone, which was hidden in the castle. We had no way of knowing until after, but Quirinus Quirrell, the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, went out in search of Voldemort after his fall from power. We now know that the reason he was still alive was his horcruxes. Quirrell did, indeed, find Voldemort, and when he did, Voldemort possessed the man, sharing a body and a life force with the man. To strengthen himself, Voldemort compelled Quirrell to go into the forest and drink unicorn blood. It wasn't until the end of the year, when Quirrell made an attempt at the Stone, and my friends and I went after him, that he was stopped. There was some sort of strange magic bound to Harry, your son, James, that allowed him to defeat Quirrell merely by touching him. But still, Voldemort lived on.

"In second year, the Chamber of Secrets was reopened. I was Petrified, but not before I discovered what the monster hidden within the Chamber was: it's a basilisk. I heard later that a student was taken into the Chamber, but it turned out she was the one who had opened it in the first place. Lucius Malfoy had slipped her a _little black diary_ before the start of school, and the book had compelled her to open the Chamber. Harry went after her, I was convinced he had a thing for saving people, and he killed the basilisk with Gryffindor's sword. A fang embedded itself in his arm, and while he was writhing in pain, he went on instinct and pulled the fang from his arm and stabbed the book with it. According to him, a projection of Tom Riddle, which was feeding off the life force of the girl, had appeared. When he stabbed the book, the projection seemed to die, and the girl's life force returned."

"That seems to line up with most everything I've read about horcruxes." Dumbledore said, thoughtfully.

"Third year, I met Sirius, Remus, and Peter, but there was no activity from Voldemort. That is, until it came to light that it was Peter, not Sirius, who betrayed James and Lily, getting them killed. In the end, Sirius went free, but so did Peter. He returned to Voldemort, claiming that he was always loyal to his master. Then, fourth year the Triwizard Tournament came around. A Death Eater got the jump on you, Moody. Kidnapped you and Polyjuiced as you for an entire school year. Between him and Peter, they set up an elaborate plot to lead Harry to Voldemort. According to Harry, there was a complex ritual that lead to Voldemort being reborn into a corporeal body. And that's when we knew he was back." Hermione finished.

"So this diary is more than likely a horcrux." Dumbledore concluded. "Do you know anything about the age of the projection the horcrux cast, Hermione? That could tell us a bit about the order in which he created the horcruxes."

"Harry said he looked young. Sixteen or seventeen." She said.

"If he knew about the Chamber," McGonagall said, "And the horcrux was indeed made when he was that young- Albus, do you think the death of Myrtle Warren was Riddle's doing?"

"I think the evidence suggests exactly that, Minerva." Dumbledore said. "The diary is likely his first horcrux. I have been looking into Riddle's past, examining memories. Regulus, does he wear a ring? Gold, with a black setting?"

"No, sir." Regulus frowned. "I've never seen him wear any sort of jewelry. He's been holed up with the Notts, that's been headquarters for the time being."

"How about trophies? Is there anything you've seen that should be on display, but isn't?" he asked.

"He recently mentioned that he had a very special task for Bellatrix Lestrange. He said he needed her to take care of something, which wouldn't be out of place if I didn't see her leaving later that evening carrying something. She was cradling it like a baby, as though her life depended on it. Which, I suppose, probably isn't far from the truth." he said, looking up at Dumbledore.

"Do you think it's possible that she's been tasked to guard a horcrux?" Frank asked.

"She proved to be one of Voldemort's most loyal servants, I think it's entirely possible." Hermione said.

"What about the locket, sir?" Remus asked Dumbledore. "Did you get any clues from it?"

"During my research on Riddle's life, I discovered that he became fascinated with his heritage in his later years at school. He is a half blood, his father was a Muggle, and he was conceived with the help of love potion. However, his mother's side of the family is a very old, pure line. He is, in fact, descended of Salazar Slytherin. This locket, if my sources are correct were once heirlooms belonging to his grandfather and partial namesake, Marvolo Gaunt, a wizard proud of his connection to Slytherin."

"So a locket that belonged to Slytherin, and his diary. Something is telling me there's more to this." Hermione said, frowning.

"I believe you're right, Hermione." Dumbledore said. "I haven't been able to figure out the pattern yet, but we will keep looking. Until then, I must ask: you said a basilisk fang was able to destroy the horcrux?"

"Yes, Harry stabbed the diary with it and I suppose it killed the younger version of Voldemort trapped within it."

"I suppose we could always repeat history. Do you know how to open the Chamber?" He asked thoughtfully.

"Yes, sir, but you have to be Parselmouth to open it." she said. "I think Ginny, the girl who opened it in my time, got the ability when she was possessed by Voldemort."

"I see. We'll just have to search our options, then. If my research is correct, you must destroy the vessel beyond magical repair. We will simply have to use the process of elimination." he said.

"I'm just glad we're one step closer to ending this damned war." Regulus sighed. "I'm tired of it."

"You and I both, boy," Moody said, clapping him on the back. Hermione smiled at the exchange. They were all ready for the end of the war. But it seemed it would only get worse before it got better.

* * *

 _November 21, 1980 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

Hermione paced the floors nervously, looking out the window every time she passed them. It was nearly midnight and Sirius wasn't home yet. She cursed, turning away from the window once again.

She was supposed to have a relaxing girls' night with Lily. The boys had offered to take care of Harry for the evening so the girls could hang out and have a night off. Sirius even fixed them dinner before heading out to meet up with James. He'd told her he'd be returning on his motorbike, finally bringing it home. He and James had been working on it for months,and they'd finally enchanted the damn thing to fly. So naturally, Sirius wanted to test it out. He'd promised to be careful, using a disillusionment charm and promising not to push the bike to the max, but that didn't stop Hermione from worrying.

She heard the rumble of the engine in front of the house and ran to the window to make sure it was her husband, and when she saw him dismounting the bike in the driveway, she ran to the door, unlocking it and throwing it open as he strode up to the door. She threw herself into his arms, glad he was home safe.

"Hello to you, too." He chuckled, hugging her back. She pulled away from him, smacking his shoulder.

"Do you have any _idea_ the state I've been in, Sirius Orion Black?" she asked, ushering him in and shutting the door behind him.

"I'm sorry, love, we ran into some...unforeseen circumstances." he said, sheepishly.

"We?" She asked.

"James and I, and before you ask, we didn't leave Harry alone, Remus was watching him." He said.

"Well, what happened?" She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Well, James and I needed to make a run to the store, and of course we didn't want to walk, so we hopped on the bike." he said with a sigh, sinking into the nearest chair.. "Apparently, I wasn't paying attention to the speed limit, and a police car started tailing us." He shook his head. "Muggle police officers aren't really a problem, but when we went to pull over, we noticed two people on brooms, tailing the police. I wasn't risking it and we went on, turning into an alley and getting off the bikes. The policemen thought they had us cornered, but James and I were more concerned with the Death Eaters. We humored the police officers, but when the wizards caught up, we went into duel mode."

"You did magic in front of Muggles?" Hermione asked.

"Not like we had much choice." He said. "Besides, we got rid of the two Death Eaters without a problem, then got away from the cops."

"What did you even go into town for in the first place?" Hermione asked. "What was that important?"

"Um. Well, you see-"

"It was something stupid, wasn't it?" She asked, glaring at him.

"No! It wasn't something stupid!"

"Then what was it?" She asked. He looked down, mumbling something under his breath. "What was that? I can't hear you, Sirius."

"It was ice cream, okay?" he said, his face turning red. "James ate the last of it and refused to go alone to get more. So we went together."

"You risked your lives," Hermione said slowly, "For _ice cream?!_ " her voice shrilled through two octaves and Sirius flinched.

"I'm sleeping on the couch tonight, aren't I?" he asked.

"Is this little escapade why you're three hours later than you said you'd be?" She asked, ignoring his question.

"Yes and no. Ran into a rough patch of air on the way home, had to take a detour that took me about an hour longer than I'd originally planned. I didn't send you a patronus to let you know because I was having a bit of a time navigating. First time on the bike, and all." he said.

"Is James okay?" She asked, calming down a bit.

"Yes, he's just fine, and so am I. I'm sorry I worried you, Hermione. I shouldn't have been so stupid." he said. Hermione moving to him and settling herself on his lap. He wrapped his arms around her waist instinctively. Hermione tapped his chest, tracing the outline of his tattoo over his shirt. He nuzzled his head into her neck, kissing her there.

"Nauthiz." She murmured. " _Think before acting._ I thought this was a lesson you already learned?" He chuckled.

"Hermione, every day is a new lesson for me. You know that. I don't regret going out with James in search of ice cream tonight. I do regret not being more careful, though. I should have watched my speed. The police car is what drew the attention of the Death Eaters, I'm sure of it." He said, looking up at her. "And I regret breaking my promise to you. I told you I'd be home, and I wasn't. I'm sorry." She sighed. She couldn't stay mad at him for very long these days. Not when he really did seem to feel bad about his reckless behavior.

"I forgive you." She said. "Just- don't worry me like that again." she said. He leaned down and kissed her slowly, his hand cupping her face.

"I'll try my best, love." He said, grey eyes meeting brown. He held her gaze for an intense moment before he smiled down at her.

"But really, couch or no couch? I kinda need to know." He said. She laughed, shoving him playfully.

"You don't have to sleep on the couch." She said. "This time." He grinned at her and kissed her again, and she let the happiness she felt from knowing her husband was safe overrule all the stress and worry of the past few hours. For a time, she let herself be content.


	39. Redemption

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _January 29, 1981 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

Hermione stood shaking in the kitchen of the little cottage, her face pale. The phoenix patronus had already dissipated, but she didn't notice. She was too focused on what had happened. She she had _let_ happen. She didn't hear the whoosh of the floo, nor Sirius calling her name from the living room. She barely registered him pulling her into his arms.

"Hermione, love, it's not your fault." he murmured over and over again. "You couldn't control it."

"I should have Seen it." She said. "I should have been looking for it. I haven't even tried checking in on Order members in months." She said. When had she started crying?

"Hermione, listen to me. You can't prevent every death. This is a war. Every single person in the Order is ready to lay down their lives for the cause, you _know_ that." he said.

Dumbledore had sent a patronus to all the Order members, letting them know that Marlene McKinnon had been murdered, along with her entire family, overnight. Hermione hadn't had a single vision about an attack, and she felt as though her lack of foresight caused Marlene's death.

"Did you get the patronus, too?" she asked.

"No, Moody did. He told me to come check on you. He knew you'd take the news badly." He said, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"I should have been able to stop it." He said.

"Hermione, you've saved so many lives already. You've made this time a better place. You're not perfect." He said gently. "No one expects you to be."

"Except me." She laughed wryly.

"It's not fair for you to expect perfection from yourself." He said. "You're human. It's why I love you."

"I- I wasn't working hard enough." She said.

"Then _stop beating yourself up_ , and start working harder." Sirius said. She looked up to him.

"I think you're right about something for once." She said, a small smile playing at her lips.

" _For once._ " He rolled his eyes. He placed a kiss to her temple and held her close for a moment before they heard a knock at the door.

"Regulus?" Hermione asked, frowning. If it were any of their other friends, they'd have just used the floo. Regulus didn't have, nor did he want, access to their floo, though. The floo network was closely monitored by the Ministry, and he didn't want to risk that information falling into the wrong hands.

Sirius frowned, pulling himself away from Hermione to check the door, letting in Regulus. He looked surprised to see Sirius home, but greeted his brother with a hug, anyway. He'd been making a habit of letting his brother know how much he meant to him.

"Hey, Reg," Hermione greeted him, padding over to hug him as well. "What brings you here?" She asked, "And in the middle of the day?"

"I've gotta talk to you two about something. Something that I'm afraid you and James are probably going to hate, Sirius." He said. Sirius frowned, but waved his brother further into the house, waiting until all of them were seated to ask questions.

"Okay," Sirius said. "What are James and I going to hate?" he asked. Regulus leaned forward, bracing his forearms on his knees and clasping his hands in front of him.

"I have a contact, a Death Eater. He wants to defect, join the Order, but he doesn't know how to help. He's reached out to me for guidance, and I told him I'd talk to my contacts. He's got more access to Voldemort than even I do, and he'd be a very valuable asset to the Order." Regulus said.

"Great," Sirius said, leaning back thoughtfully. "Who is it?" Regulus took a deep breath and scrunched up his face.

"Severus Snape."

"That greasy little slime ball? Not a chance in hell, Reg. Sorry, if it'd been anyone else, I _might_ have been able to forgive and forget. But that git spied on Dumbledore, took the prophecy to Voldemort, and sold out his supposed childhood friend. I can't forgive that." He said.

"He doesn't expect you to." Regulus sighed. "But he still does want out. He's fallen in too far, Sirius. He's finally realized that he was wrong about Muggleborns. And he wants to protect Lily. _And_ James and Harry."

"He wants to protect James and Harry?" Hermione asked, awestruck. "Why?"

"I think he finally realized that love comes in many forms." He said. "He and I had a long talk. Peter was there too. He's been watching out for her for a long time. He knows a lot more than he tells anyone."

"What's in it for him?" Sirius asked. "He's a typical Slytherin, he's gotta have something to gain from this."

"He gets his friend back. He just wants her to be safe and happy. That's all he's ever wanted." Regulus said. "He's just had to come to terms with sharing her."

"Do you think Lily will be okay with this, 'Mione?" Sirius asked.

"Yes." she said simply. "She's been waiting for a chance to pull Severus out of the darkness for years. She's been waiting for him to ask for help. She'll be ecstatic about it."

"Then what is the next step? Dumbledore?" Regulus asked.

"No." Sirius said. Hermione raised an eyebrow at him. "He needs to talk to James and Lily first. They- _we_ \- need to lay out some ground rules before we ever bring this to Dumbledore."

"We?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, we." Sirius sighed. "As much as I hate to admit it, all of us were at fault in our school rivalry. If he's going to join the Order, if we're going to have to work with him, we need to call a truce."

Hermione grinned at him, a gesture that was apparently infectious, as Regulus picked it up as well.

"What are you two grinning at?" He asked, shifting in his seat.

"When did you become so responsible?" Regulus asked.

"Who are you and what have you done with my husband?" Hermione giggled.

"You two _really_ know how to insult a man's pride, you know." Sirius said, though he smiled as well.

"It's why we get along so well, really." Regulus said.

"And here I thought it was because we're both intelligent individuals who want to see a positive change in the world." Hermione said, mock-offended.

"That too, but it's mostly the insulting Sirius thing. We kind of bonded over it, you know?"

"You what?" Sirius asked, looking between his wife and brother.

"Don't ask questions you don't want the answers to, love." Hermione giggled. "How about some tea before you go, Reg?"

"I'd love a cuppa, 'Mione. It's been a bit since I just visited with you two anyway." he said.

"After the war, I expect you round every Sunday, you hear?" Sirius said. "We're gonna be a proper family, Mum be damned."

"Of course," Regulus said with a small smile. Hermione knew the look he wore well. He didn't expect to make it out of the war alive, but he wasn't about to say that. "Speaking of family, when are you two going to give me a niece or nephew?"

"When the time's right." Hermione said, "And, preferably, when the war's over."

"Yet another reason to hope for the end soon." Regulus said. "You know I'm going to spoil your kids rotten, right?"

"You and everyone else, Reg." Sirius said, with a smile. "Hell, Harry's already spoiled, and he's hardly six months old." Sirius shook his head. "I'm not sure I'm ready to be a dad."

"Like I said," Hermione told him, "when the time is right. You waited three years to propose, and another year to marry me. I think it should be pretty obvious I'm not in any rush." she chuckled. Sirius grinned.

"Good to know." He told her with a smile. Hermione looked to both of the men, thinking back to the sixth year. So much had changed in the two men in five years. She smiled when she realized that Sirius had been right; she _had_ made a difference in this time, and Regulus was living, breathing proof. It didn't take away her grief for Marlene McKinnon, but it gave her some of her fight back.

She resolved, then and there, to worker even harder to bring down Lord Voldemort. And she knew she had to start with her visions.

* * *

 _February 3, 1981 Rye, England- Black Cottage_

The tension in the sitting room was palpable as Hermione, Sirius, James, Lily, Remus and Peter awaited the arrival of Regulus and Snape. Sirius had explained things to the others, but James wasn't too happy about the whole thing. Hermione knew there was a mixture of fear and excitement stirring in Lily. For her, getting her childhood friend back had been a dream that she never imagined she'd see come to fruition.

There was a knock a the door and Hermione got up to let the two Dark wizards in. All eyes in the room turned to Snape. Hermione did her best to ease the tension and break the ice.

"Can I get you two something to drink? Tea, cocoa? It's cold out there today." She said, shivering a bit as she shut the door.

"Perhaps a shot of firewhiskey, if you've got it, love." Regulus said. "I've a feeling I'm going to need it."

"Better bring the bottle, 'Mione." James said, warily.

"One shot each, no more, you hear?" Hermione said, moving to the kitchen and returning with a bottle of firewhiskey and a few shot glasses. Sirius wasn't a heavy drinker, but he made sure they were stocked if he wanted a drink. "You lot need your wits about you."

"Just something to take the edge off." Regulus smiled at her, knocking back a shot. Sirius and James both took one as well, but Severus refused the drink politely.

"Okay, now that that's out of the way." Hermione said, drawing her wand and sending the glasses and alcohol back to the kitchen. "Let's get down to business, shall we?"

"As you all know, I'm sure," Regulus started, "Severus and I have been discussing defection from the Dark Lord for some time. It took quite a bit of convincing on the part of Peter and myself to get him to consider coming to the Order, but he does not do so lightly."

"I am in even better standing with the Dark Lord than Regulus." Severus said, his voice sounding raspy. He looked only at Hermione, almost not daring to look at any of the others. "I've been to his base of operations, I know the layout well. I'm also very familiar with the houses of other Death Eaters, should raids become a necessity."

"There's no doubt you'd be an excellent asset to the Order, Snape." Remus said, looking the man over. "But I think the question running through most of our minds is why you've changed your mind?"

Severus looked up at the werewolf, acknowledging him with a look of detached interest, before, finally, turning his gaze to Lily. Their eyes met and for the first time in nearly five years, Hermione saw Severus smile.

"Lily," He said, speaking directly to her, and ignoring the rest of the room. "When you told me that you'd chosen your way and I'd chosen mine, it did something to me. Part of me broke, and I lost the last bit of light in my life. Then you started dating Potter seventh year, and I was bitter about that for a long time. I'll admit, I've watched you from afar for years, Lily. Trying to make sure you were safe. At first, I suppose it was just out of bitterness. I was waiting for Potter to slip up, waiting for you to leave him. When he proposed, and you two got married, I think I realized that wasn't going to happen. I started watching how you two acted with each other, instead. I started observing how you interacted with Black, as well. And that's when I realized you looked at the two men differently. You love them both, but you love them differently." Severus said, frowning.

Hermione watched James and Sirius carefully. James's fists were balled into tight fists. He clearly didn't like that Severus had been watching his wife for years. Sirius's jaw was set, Hermione could see him biting the inside of his cheek to stay quiet.

"And I realized, after all this time," Severus continued, "that you look at Black the same way you used to look at me." Lily nodded, a small smile on her face.

"Sev, I love you. I always have. You were my first friend." She said, standing up.

"I didn't realize how many different kinds of love there were." Severus said quietly. "I know you love Potter. I'm not bitter about that anymore, because I've seen how much he loves you, as well. You love your child, leaving your job to protect him. You love your friends. Lily, I'll never understand how someone as pure and good as you could love someone as broken as me."

Suddenly, Lily crossed the room and threw herself into Severus's arms. Severus was stiff as a board, taking a few seconds to register what was happening, before he wrapped his arms around her, burying his face in her hair.

"Sev, you're not broken. I've been telling you that since we were kids. What happened to you growing up, it's not your fault. You still deserve to be loved." Lily murmured into his chest.

Hermione watched James's face go red as his wife launched herself into Severus's arms, and for a moment she worried he'd burst out in violence, but he watched Sirius put a hand on James's shoulder, nodding to the two. James paled as he realized Severus Snape, a grown man, and a Death Eater, was holding his wife, and crying.

"I'm sorry, Lily." He said through the tears. "I'm sorry for everything."

Sirius made eye contact with Hermione, and she knew that their questions about his sincerity were answered. He would fight for the light, for his friend's life. The two pulled away from each other finally, and Severus dried his eyes, finally looking up around the room. His eyes locked with James's for a moment.

"There was a time, Potter, that I would have killed you as soon as looked at you had the Dark Lord asked me to. But it's been a long time since I've felt that way. I have to admit, to this day, I have no great love for you, nor Black, but I've been fighting to keep you alive for close to two years now." he said, his demeanor returning to the one Hermione had become accustomed to at school.

"You have?" James asked, eyebrows shooting up. "And how is that?"

"I've been leading the search for you away from Godric's Hollow, having the Dark Lord look in Ottery St. Catchpole, and Upper Flagley. I don't know where you live in Godric's Hollow, but I assume it's well protected? A Fidelius Charm, like this house?" James nodded. "And your secret keeper?"

"Me." Peter said, nodding at Severus. Severus's lips twitched up.

"A good choice. A true friend you've got in Peter, Potter." He said. James frowned a bit at that, but shook his head to clear it a bit.

"Look, Snape, just because you are suddenly on our side doesn't mean I'm going to like you overnight." James said.

"I'm not asking you to like me," Severus said, looking first to James, then to Sirius, Remus, and even Hermione. "Any of you. I'm asking you to let me help you fight. Let me help end this war so we can move on with our lives."

Sirius and James shared a look, and James sighed, nodding. Sirius stood, walking over to Severus.

"We need all the help we can get. I don't want our schoolyard rivalry to cause issues, so I'd like to offer a truce. We fight for the same team, whether we like each other or not." Sirius said, sticking out his hand. Severus looked around the room, trying to gauge the general opinion. He looked to Lily, who smiled encouragingly, then to Regulus and Peter, who both nodded. He glanced at Remus, who nodded once, making eye contact, then to James, whose solemn look said everything he needed to know. Finally, he looked to Hermione, who'd been quiet the entire time.

"You'll keep the peace, should things get out of hand?" Severus asked, quietly. She smiled widely, chuckling as she nodded. So he _had_ noticed that she'd been watching the boys.

"Of course. It's sort of what I do." Hermione said with a smile. Severus nodded once, turning back to Sirius and shaking his hand.

"A truce, then." he said. "May it bring a swifter end."

"I'll drink to that," Regulus said with a heavy sigh, making for the kitchen.

"Regulus Arcturus Black, don't you dare-" but he was already in the kitchen, and the other boys followed suit. Hermione sighed and looked to Lily, exasperated. The other woman smiled at her sympathetically, before turning to Severus.

"It's good to have my friend back." She said. Hermione smiled at the exchange before bustling off to the kitchen to pry the bottle of firewhiskey from the hands of Regulus, happy that that was the only argument she'd have to deal with that day.


	40. Where Did I Go Wrong?

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _April 25, 1981 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

"Come on, Harry. Padfoot. Say 'Padfoot.'" Sirius said, holding the little boy in his lap. Hermione smiled at the two from the kitchen, where she was getting dinner ready.

"Paa!" Harry squealed happily, smacking both hands on Sirius's chest.

"Did you hear that, Hermione? He's almost got it!" Sirius said, his eyes lighting up.

"I think he's still a little young to actually know what he's saying, love." Hermione said with a smile. "He's only nine months old."

"What do you think, Harry? Are you too young?" Padfoot asked, tickling his belly. The little boy squealed again. "That's what I thought." Sirius said with a chuckle

"I never knew you were so good with kids, Sirius." Hermione said.

"I've got my moments, you know." He said. "Besides, this isn't just any kid. This is my godson."

"That's why you never want to change his poopy diapers, right?" Hermione said.

"I told you, 'Mione, you're just always in the vicinity." He said, grinning.

"And your stomach can't handle the smell." she laughed.

"That, too." he said, returning his attention to Harry. "You're a stinky kid, you know that?"

Hermione watched the two of them play for a few more minutes before returning her attention to cooking. She was making enough for James and Lily, as they'd be over later. Hermione and Sirius had offered to watch Harry so that the new parents could have a break and just relax for the day. Hermione knew they'd had little alone time together, and it was starting to wear on them. She'd had to literally take Harry out of Lily's arms and tell them that they needed a break. Sirius was more than happy to spend the day with his godson, and watching the two play was so heartwarming.

Hermione sighed, thinking about her other friends. She hadn't heard from Regulus in a month, as he'd gone off the grid for a mission. Remus was following a lead on Death Eater activity in Lancashire. Peter had been spying in Death Eater circles for some time, but these days, he was trying to avoid his Death Eater and Order connections alike, trying to lay low. He'd gotten so paranoid, and Hermione pitied him for it. Sirius was still working, the only one of his friends who was. Hermione doubted he'd ever stop going into the Ministry. He'd slowed down, not working over as often as he had before their move. But Hermione knew that seeing all the death on the job was getting to him

And Hermione herself had been trying to scry nightly. She mostly just caught glimpses of Death Eaters and Voldemort. A lot of her visions were so graphic, her subconscious shied away from them as a defense mechanism. But she knew that if she was going to See the horcruxes, she'd have to dig deep and not let her mind shy away.

She looked back into the sitting room at the smiling faces of Harry and Sirius. This was how it was supposed to be. She needed to finish this, so they could all have their happy ending. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself. It was time to end it.

* * *

 _May 1, 1981 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

Hermione waited for Sirius to leave that morning before going through the setup for her meditation. She'd talked to Sirius about her visions, but she didn't tell him that she'd be actively scrying today. She was worried he'd want to stay home with her, and she wasn't sure that she would be able to scry on demand with an audience. She did, however, inform Lily about her meditations, asking her to check in around noon. Hermione wasn't sure what to expect, but she had a bad feeling in her gut as she sunk down onto the cushion in the dimly-lit spare bedroom.

She lit the candle before her and settled down, clearing her mind. She began her breathing exercises, willing her nerves to unwind themselves, even as the feeling in her gut began to subside. She'd performed this type of scrying several times since she'd seen the Prewett's battle, but none of her visions had been particularly pressing. Added to that, she couldn't seem to get her mind to slow down and focus enough to get a clear image. There was probably nothing to worry about.

She focused on her breath, eyes following the flame. She focused on tracking its movement instead of her nerves. She was prepared to face down whatever horrors she must to bring down this man.

"Voldemort." She said, hoping saying the name aloud would help her focus. "Horcruxes. The locket. The diary."

She felt a strange sensation, like a tug at the edges of her consciousness. Her vision darkened, and she caught a glimmer of something moving at the edges of her vision.

"Tom Riddle." She said, and that must have been the trigger her subconscious needed, because she was suddenly engulfed in images, sounds, smells, a whirlwind of sensations. She let herself get lost in the information for a moment, before bringing her attention back to what she needed.

" _Horcruxes_." She murmured, and the images filed themselves away, only to be replaced by the image of a young man. Tom Riddle. Hermione looked him over; in his hand, he carried a small black notebook. The diary. As she thought about the diary, another image flashed in front of her eyes, superimposed on the image of Riddle. A desk drawer with a false bottom. The diary was hidden beneath. The image was whisked away and Hermione's eyes refocused on Tom, looking for anything out of place or notable.

He really was handsome, his features sharp, his smile disarming. But his eyes- she couldn't look at them for longer than a minute or so without feeling utterly violated. She searched his body, looking for something, anything- and suddenly, she found it. On his free hand, he wore a signet ring, gold, with a black stone. Regulus had said he didn't wear jewelry, so then what significance did this ring have?

A new image flooded her vision. Tom approached a house, entering without knocking. Hermione watched as the boy, for he was still just a boy, shouted the Killing Curse three times. Three beams of green light lit the room, and the scene changed. She watched the young man modify the memory of a dirty-looking man, watched him hand back the wand he'd killed those people with, but not before taking a ring from the man. The ring that he wore in the image Hermione had seen before. But then, what happened to the ring?

Another image filled her head, a run-down house, a loose floorboard… there was a box there. That had to be it. But where was the house? The image darkened and was swept away. That's all she'd get about the ring, apparently.

Her vision stayed dark for a moment while she processed the information. The diary. The ring. What about the locket? Her vision swam again, images zooming about until one finally came into focus. Riddle was sitting stiffly in an overly-crowded room, next to an old, very large woman in bright pink robes. In his hand, he held a small golden cup.

"A badger," He said, looking over the cup. "Then this was…?"

"Helga Hufflepuff's, as you very well know, you clever boy!" the large woman said.

Hermione frowned, watching the woman tell Riddle all about the cup, before handing it off to a tiny, ancient house elf. She watched as another box was brought before Riddle, a box containing the locket.

"Slytherin's mark." He said quietly. And the image faded to black.

"Of course," Hermione mumbled, ordering her thoughts. "If he was proud of his link to Slytherin, of course he'd go after other possessions of the Founders. He was looking for trophies, after all. Perhaps he wanted the set? Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup. Maybe there was something left from Gryffindor, or Ravenclaw?"

And just like that, another whirlwind hit her, settling this time on a stone corridor that Hermione was very familiar with. This was Hogwarts. Riddle looked youngin this time, but not of school age; he might have just graduated. He sat on a stone bench, talking with the Grey Lady, but Hermione couldn't hear the words. He smiled at her, nodding and standing, and the scene dissolved, only to be replaced by a dark forest. She watched as Riddle collected something from a tree trunk, dusting it off. It was a silver circlet with an oval sapphire placed in the center, and words she couldn't make out etched into the silver. She had read about Ravenclaw's lost diadem in _Hogwarts, A History_ , but she never thought she'd see it, let alone in the hands of the man who called himself Lord Voldemort. She realized that the Grey Lady must have known all along where the diadem was, and Riddle had charmed it out of her.

Hermione watched Riddle smile down at the horcrux, his eyes flashing red, and the scene faded yet again. Riddle was back in Hogwarts, though it seemed that several years had passed. She watched him pace back and forth in the corridor, seemingly upset. His face was flushed, as though enraged, but he stopped on a dime, turning to face the wall opposite him. He smiled, an expression that gave Hermione chill bumps, as he reached into his robes and pulled out the diadem, before padding to the door set into the wall and slipping inside. Hermione wondered briefly where in the castle he was, until she recognized the tapestry behind him. The room he was entering was the Room of Requirement.

Her vision went black, and for a moment she felt as though she was going to be sick. The room spun around her, her vision doubling and tripling. She wasn't sure what was happening, this had never happened before. Had she been scrying too long? Did she uncover too much? She suddenly found it much harder to breath, a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach combining with a tightening in her chest. Was she having a panic attack? While scrying? Was that even possible? Images flooded her head again, but she didn't have the focus to control it. She was lost in a sea of images superimposed on a flame that she couldn't for the life of her look away from.

Suddenly the candle before her was snuffed out, leaving her blinking in the dim room. Silence. She took a deep breath, trying not to hyperventilate when she felt like she couldn't get enough oxygen fast enough. She swayed back and forth for a moment, gathering her thoughts before she realized she was not alone in the room.

"Hermione?" Lily's voice called. Hermione looked up and saw Lily sitting across from her. "Are you alright? I've been sitting here for the past ten minutes and you haven't even noticed me." Hermione frowned.

"Did you blow out the candle?" Hermione asked, piecing things together.

"Yes, ten minutes ago. You were getting paler and having trouble breathing. I figured blowing out the candle would pull you out of the trance." Lily said.

"Thanks," Hermione said. "Something happened, I lost control. I don't know why, but I went into a panic attack," She said, looking down.

"You really shouldn't do this alone anymore, Hermione. What if I hadn't come to check on you in time?" Lily said.

"Yeah, you're right, Lils. If I need to scry again, I'll have someone in the next room." She said. Lily nodded, but Hermione could see in her eyes that she was worried.

"What did you see?" Lily asked, Hermione could hear the concern in her voice.

"Horcruxes." Hermione said, frowning. "Riddle's diary, the signet ring, Hufflepuff's cup, Slytherin's locket, and Ravenclaw's diadem." Hermione said, mostly to herself.

"He's got _five_?" Lily asked, her eyes wide.

"I think so. Lily, I need to talk to Dumbledore."


	41. How to Save a Life

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _July 31, 1981 Godric's Hollow, England - Potter House_

It was Harry's first birthday, and Hermione was busy helping Lily finish dinner while the Sirius and James played with Harry and entertained the guests. Frank and Alice had brought Neville over to play with Harry and the two boys hit it off straight away.

Hermione had just pulled the cake out of the oven, setting it aside to cool, when there was a knock at the door. Hermione glanced over at Lily, frowning. Her friend looked equally concerned and both women made their way into the sitting room, which had gone deathly quiet. Even the two small boys could tell something was wrong.

James had moved to check who was outside, Sirius, Remus, and Frank standing in front of the boys, their wands drawn. James frowned, but waved them down.

"It's Dumbledore. Regulus and Snape are with him, too." He said, moving to the door. The men lowered their wands as the two wizards entered the house. The two Dark wizards had been to the house once previously, but it was still a little unnerving for Hermione to see Snape there.

"So sorry to intrude on such a special day," Dumbledore said, greeting them. "But there are a few rather urgent matters that have come to light. I apologize for not sending a patronus, I was in a bit of a rush." he said.

"Don't worry about it, sir, you just gave us a bit of a scare." James said as Dumbledore strode further into the sitting room.

"Please, make yourself at home. Dinner's nearly done." Lily said with a smile.

"You're too kind, Lily." Dumbledore smiled, taking a seat in an armchair. Harry looked up at the tall man with wide eyes. "Hello there, Harry." he said kindly, "Happy Birthday."

The little boy giggled and pushed himself onto all fours, crawling over to the tall man and pulling himself up by clutching handfuls of Dumbledore's robes. The old wizard chuckled, reaching down and scooping him up. He plopped the chubby baby down on his lap and Harry promptly began to play with Dumbledore's beard.

Hermione smiled at the exchange, but noticed Snape and Regulus had moved to a corner next to Peter. Snape looked uncomfortable and shifted his weight, avoiding eye contact. Regulus was pale and looked like he might be ill.

"As I was saying, there are a few pressing matters to attend to. It really is quite the stroke of luck that you're all in the same place today. I'll just jump right in then, I've found another horcrux." Dumbledore said.

"You have?" Hermione gasped. It had been two months since she told Dumbledore of her vision, and little to nothing had come of it.

"Indeed, I've located the signet ring which once belonged to Marvolo Riddle." Dumbledore said. "I didn't bring it with me, as I knew at the very least Harry would be present, and I certainly wouldn't want him exposed to that sort of Dark magic. It is safe, hidden away with the locket."

"So that leaves the Diary, the Cup, and the Diadem." Hermione said, with a sigh.

"And that is why I needed to speak with you all. Severus has recently gotten word," Dumbledore nodded to Snape, "That Voldemort has been making preparations for open war. I believe the time has come for us to plan our capture of the horcruxes."

"Sir," Sirius asked, a frown creasing his brow, "Did we ever figure out a way destroy them? If we gather them with no way to destroy them, like you said before, it'd be pointless."

"Very good, Sirius." He said, "I have a theory. A highly probable theory, but I'd prefer to not divulge it just yet. The less you lot know of the entire plan, the better. The threat of torture as a means of getting information is real, I'm afraid."

"So then," James said, taking a seat and leaning forward. "How are we going to do this?"

"The Diary, as far as we know, is still hidden in the Nott's home. The Cup, Severus has confirmed to be hidden in the Lestrange home, and the Diadem, according to Hermione's vision, the Diadem is hidden at Hogwarts. I think the best course of action would be to have Hermione and Sirius lead the search for the Diadem. I'd like Severus to lead the search for the Cup, and Regulus, the Diary."

"Headmaster," Severus said, his voice raspy. "How are we going to accomplish that? The Dark Lord never leaves the Diary unattended, if he's not there, there are always guards stationed outside. And Bellatrix is much the same, she always keeps a close eye on the Cup."

"That," Dumbledore said, a twinkle in his eye, "Is where James, Lily, Frank, and Alice come in. We will draw the attention of Lord Voldemort by luring him away from his hiding place, then we will divide and conquer."

"What about Harry?" Lily asked, "And Neville?"

"Of course, the boys will be safely out of the picture. Perhaps your mother can take Neville and flee, Frank?" Dumbledore asked.

"I can take Harry." Remus said, looking to James and Lily. "We'll go north. There's a quiet place in Appleby where we can lay low for a few days." James nodded at his friend, placing a hand on Lily's shoulder.

"We're supposed to use our friends as _bait_?" Sirius asked. Hermione had known that would be the next obstacle; getting Sirius to agree.

"Pads, it's alright. We've not been able to help fight for nearly two years. If this is how we end it-" James and Frank shared a look. Frank nodded, reaching over to grab Alice's hand. "We'll do it."

"They won't be alone, Sirius." Dumbledore said. "We will have others, waiting in the wings. This will be the final battle."

Sirius looked over to Hermione, his face screwed up with several emotions at once.

"It will be okay, Sirius. I think this is our best bet." She said, comfortingly.

"Alright," Sirius sighed. "But I'll be right there, fighting beside you."

"Of course you will be," James smiled. "I'd expect nothing less."

"Then it's decided." Dumbledore said, with a nod. "Severus will keep us up to date on the movements of Voldemort, and we will prepare for an offensive attack on our own time."

"There is one more thing that we need to address, sir." Regulus said, his voice tense.

"Ah, yes, you are correct, Mr. Black. Severus, I believe since the orders were yours, you should have the floor for this bit." Dumbledore told him.

"I was summoned by the Dark Lord this morning," Snape began, his deep voice clear, though he was looking at the floor. "And ordered to deliver a message to one of my old acquaintances from school. He said, 'The one known as Wormtail, bring him to me. I'd like to have a chat with him.'"

"I'm sure he would," James spat. "But what of it? We're obviously not going to send Peter to Voldemort in gift wrapping!"

"No, I'm going, James." he said, not looking at James, but at Snape.

"You're _what_?" James asked, looking between the two men.

"I have to go," Peter sighed. "When we were in school, there were meetings on the train to and from school. That's where I disappeared to; I'd find the trolley to cover it up, but the meetings are why it took me forever to find you. They, after we left school, I kept up with some of my contacts. Regulus and I have been the closest, but there are others, Avery and Wilkes, that I've kept up with as well. I've even met with the Dark Lord on occasion."

"Why?" Sirius asked, looking him over.

"Intel." Peter said. "When Hermione found me sneaking back to the compartment from the meeting, I knew I had to set my priorities in order. But I couldn't just drop my Death Eater contacts. That would be stupid. So I let them believe I rode the fence. None of them knew I was in the Order, and Voldemort asked me several times why I didn't fight with him. I had to explain that I was laying low so that my Order friends didn't expect anything. He bought it, thankfully. But it's been useful. It's kept the Death Eaters off my trail. And helped me to feed them false information, along with Reg."

"So then what does he want of you now?" Lily asked.

"My guess is information. He knows who my friends are. I'll go meet with him, and tell him a tale. I'll lead him along like I have before, and that will be the end of it." He said, but the color drained from his face, and his hands shook.

"I don't want you to go alone." Hermione said suddenly.

"I won't be alone. I'll have Severus." Peter said, smiling nervously at her.

Hermione had a bad feeling in her cut. She suddenly felt light-headed and she swayed on the spot for a moment. Sirius noticed, moving over to her quickly to support her.

"I have a feeling-" She murmured. "Peter, I want to go with you."

" _What?_ " Sirius asked. Everyone in the room turned and looked at her like she'd grown a second head.

"I'll go under the Cloak. I just have this feeling in my gut. I need to be there." she said, putting a hand to her head.

"Dumbledore, what do you think?" James asked, his face an unreadable mask.

"I trust her judgement." Dumbledore said, "Though I urge you to be cautious, Hermione."

"If you're going, so am I." Sirius said.

"No." Hermione said, turning and putting a hand on his chest. "Sirius, I don't know why, but I _need_ to be there. But I need you to stay safe. I need you to fight with Lily and James if something happens to me. I need you to protect Harry." Sirius looked her over, studying her face with sad grey eyes. He sighed, then nodded, kissing her on the forehead.

"But _be careful_." He said, then glanced over to Peter. "Both of you. I can't lose you."

Hermione nodded, burying her face in his chest and wrapping her arms around him. He held her tightly for a few moments, before Lily spoke up.

"Well, you lot aren't going anywhere until after dinner." She said. Hermione smiled, looking over at Peter who did the same. Leave it to Lily to try and bring some shred of normality to a stressful situation.

"Come on, Lils, let's finish the cake." Hermione said, detangling herself from Sirius with a kiss.

"I love you." He murmured before she pulled away.

"I love you, too." Hermione said, giving his arm a gentle squeeze before she headed back to the kitchen.

* * *

 _Later That Night, Falmouth, England - Nott Residence_

The Nott house was as fairly large, if old, three-story home with ivy sprawling upward along the front. Hermione, under James's invisibility cloak, walked quietly just behind Severus and Peter towards the old house along the cobblestone drive. She looked up at the impressive structure and saw a man looking down on them for a moment from the third floor, before he turned away. Hermione stuck close to Peter as they approached the doorway, not wanting to get shut out of the house by not being quick enough.

The door creaked open and a house elf waved them in, bowing low. Hermione squeezed through the door after Peter just in time.

"Master Nott will take his guests in the drawing room." the house elf squeaked. "If you will follow me?"

The men followed the elf and Hermione trailed behind, entering the room after Peter and finding a corner to stand in hopefully out of the way.

"Master will be will you shortly." the house elf said, bowing low again.

"Cough once." Severus said, barely audible, and Hermione did, letting the two men know that she was in front of them, off to the left. She'd be able to watch them carefully. Neither man sat as they waited for Voldemort, and before long, they both perked up as they heard footsteps leading to the room.

"Ah, Severus! Glad to see you've brought our little friend! Very good, very good." Lord Voldemort said, striding purposefully into the room.

"Good evening, my Lord." Severus greeted, bowing his head.

"Yes, a good evening indeed!" He agreed, "Especially if young Peter here can give me what I want."

"I will most certainly try, my Lord." Peter said, and Hermione could hear the nervousness in his voice.

"Oh, there's no room for _trying_ here, Peter. You see, when I want something, I get it. There is no exceptions. I get what I want, or the person who denies me… well, they'll get theirs, too." He said, taking out his wand and toying with it. Hermione repressed a shudder.

"Yes, my Lord." Peter said. Hermione could see the sweat pooling on his face and pitied him.

"Now, then. I believe you are familiar with James Potter and Sirius Black? You were friends in school, I believe. Even had these cute little nicknames for each other. Wormtail. Padfoot. Prongs. Yes, I know all about that. It seems that now, they've joined Dumbledore's little group and have gone underground. But I think you may know where they are, might you?"

"I'm sorry, my Lord, I've been trying to track them down myself for months. I've seen them a few times, but they always come to me." He said. Hermione was surprised how well the man lied under pressure.

"Always? Hm, such a pity. I might have believed you if I didn't have Mulciber tailing you for the past month. So where are they, Peter? Godric's Hollow? Rye? Or perhaps Upper Flagley, you've been visiting there, quite frequently. It would line up with Black's assessments, as well."

"I don't know where they live, my Lord. I've been visiting family quite a bit. Have a sick uncle in Godric's Hollow. My mother lives in Rye." Voldemort flicked his wand in Peter's direction, almost casually, sending him the floor screaming in pain.

" _Don't lie to me, boy_. I know your mother is dead. So how about we try this again? Tell me where Sirius and Hermione Black and James and Lily Potter live, or I will kill you where you stand."

Hermione stifled a cry as she watched her friend being tortured. She looked away from him, at Snape, and saw Snape's wand drop from his sleeve. With a small flick of his wrist, Hermione was petrified, the victim of a nonverbal Full Body-Bind Curse. Hermione panicked for a moment before she saw why he'd done it; Peter was laughing.

"I'm not afraid of death," He said, getting to his feet. "I know how it feels to be loved. Dying is better than living a life without love. After all, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."

" _SILENCE_." Voldemort roared, flicking his wand at Peter again, violently. Peter screamed, his back arching, but he did not fall. The pain passed, and he leaned forward, hands on his thighs, panting.

"Last chance, you pathetic excuse for a wizard. You give me the information I need, and you walk free. You don't, and you die alone, for nothing."

"I'm never alone." Peter said. "And I'm sorry to break it to you, Tom, but you're going to have to kill me. I'd rather die than betray my friends." Hermione noticed Peter wasn't looking at Voldemort, but rather over his shoulder, directly at her. She felt herself start to cry as she realized what was going to happen. "And my friend's would do the same for me."

Hermione's mind suddenly raced back to her third year, to the Shrieking Shack and the first time she'd ever met Peter and Sirius.

" _You don't understand," whined Pettigrew. "He would have killed me, Sirius!"_

" _THEN YOU SHOULD HAVE DIED!" roared Black. "DIED RATHER THAN BETRAY YOUR FRIENDS, AS WE WOULD HAVE DONE FOR YOU!_

"You know nothing of friendship or love, Tom. And that will be your downfall. Oh, and one last thing." Peter said, standing up straight and looking Voldemort in the eyes. "Never underestimate a Potter. It'll be the last thing you ever do."

Hermione's tears flowed freely as she saw Voldemort raise his wand again. She watched through blurry eyes as the flash of green hit Peter square in the chest, and he fell forward.

"Clean this up, Severus, and you are dismissed. Keep an ear to the ground, as always." She heard Voldemort say, before leaving. Severus replied softly, but Hermione didn't hear it. She was vaguely aware of Voldemort leaving the room, but it wasn't until she nearly fell on her face that she realized the curse had been reversed. She watched as Severus levitated Peter's body, and she moved to his side quickly.

"Stay close." He muttered, barely audible. And she did. She stuck to his side all the way to the apparition point. She took his arm, not trusting herself to apparate in the mental state she was in, and she felt a familiar squeezing sensation, before landing before the Potter house in Godric's Hollow. Sirius must have been watching for them, for he opened the door mere seconds after their arrival.

"Oh no." He murmured, as Hermione let the cloak slide off, rushing to him. "Peter?" He asked, and Hermione knew he was hoping one of his best friends was merely unconscious.

"He's gone," Hermione sobbed. "I told you he wouldn't betray us, and he didn't."

Sirius stared in disbelief at the body that Severus had set down in the grass a few feet away. Hermione heard the others stirring inside and prepared herself for the onslaught of emotion she was about to face, but she couldn't get one thought out of her head.

She'd watched Voldemort kill one of her best friends in cold blood. Now, this was personal. Now, she would see him burn.


	42. Finally

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 5, 1981 Godric's Hollow, England - St. Jerome's Church Graveyard_

Peter's funeral was a small affair, Order members only. Severus and Regulus showed up briefly to pay their respects, but they couldn't stay long. Regulus had known that his brother would be a mess, though, and that he needed the support.

James, Remus, and Sirius were in shambles. Hermione had seen all the men lose parents, so their grief was not a new sight, but this was different. This wasn't an illness that had taken their friend. It was murder. And there was a fire in their eyes behind the tears. Voldemort had messed with the wrong men.

The three of them had insisted on digging Peter's grave by hand. They worked one at a time for hours, switching out when they got too tired. Hermione knew they were working out their pain and anger. She knew they had to do _something_.

When at last they were done, and the casket lowered into the grave, Remus used his wand to etch the headstone they'd bought.

Peter "Wormtail" Pettegrew

Born August 5, 1960

Died July 31, 1981

Mischief Managed

Hermione broke into tears as she read it. Today would have been his twenty-first birthday. Sirius's arms wrapped around her and she turned into his chest, sobbing. He held her tightly, letting her get it all out. Remus, James, and Lily stood with them in front of the freshly covered grave, the rest of the Order giving them their space.

"Dumbledore agreed." James said, at last. Hermione's sobs had subsided, but she kept herself pressed into Sirius for support. Remus nodded. They'd talked about this the day before. They needed to do something and Hermione agreed. Which is why she was leaving with Sirius after the funeral for Hogwarts, and Remus was taking Harry north. They wouldn't have as much time as they'd hoped, but Dumbledore assured them everyone would be ready.

Hermione was to send word back when she found the diadem, and that would be the cue for Regulus and Snape to begin the diversion. It was also the cue for the Order members and aurors to assemble.

"I'm scared." Hermione said, into Sirius's chest. She'd been avoiding the words, trying to stay strong, but she for her own peace of mind, she had to acknowledge it.

"I'd call you crazy if you weren't." Remus said, a sad smile on his face.

"This is it, isn't it? The last time we'll all be together until after the war?" Lily asked. Realization swept over Hermione as she realized her friend was right.

"I suppose it is." James said, kissing her forehead. "But are we ever really apart? I know I carry you all with me, in my heart. Even Peter."

"Always." Lily said.

* * *

 _Later that day, Hogwarts, Scotland - Seventh Floor Corridor_

Hermione and Sirius stood in the corridor next to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy, looking at the blank wall. Hermione held Sirius's hand tightly, wondering what she needed to ask for to get the room they needed to appear.

 _I need the place where the Diadem is hidden._ She thought, pulling away from Sirius and beginning to pace up and down the corridor, chanting that thought in her head as she went. On her third pass, she looked up, and a door had appeared, much to her relief.

"Shall we?" Sirius asked, nodding to the door. Hermione nodded, turning the handle and pulling the heavy door open.

"Fucking hell." Sirius said. They were faced with an enormous room, with piles of objects which must have been hidden by a thousand years of Hogwarts students. The piles were stacked so high, they resembled walls. There were pathways snaking between the heaps of broken, stolen, and no doubt illegal objects, and Hermione's heart sank into her stomach. She took a few steps into the room, looking out over the veritable city of hidden things. There were three major paths leading deeper into the room, with items strewn along the aisles and smaller alleyways leading off from the main ones.

"This is going to take hours." she said, crestfallen.

" _Accio Diadem._ " Sirius said, but nothing happened. "Had to try." He said with a shrug. "I would have felt like an idiot if we searched for hour by hand when is was that simple all along."

"I think we should split up. I'll take the path on the right, you take the left, and we'll meet in the middle. I'm sure all these pathways must be connected." Hermione said, pulling out her own wand and lighting the tip to see better into the crevices.

"What is it we're looking for, exactly?" Sirius asked, lighting his wand as well.

"It's Ravenclaw's Diadem, it's like a tiara. Silver, with an oval sapphire in the center. It'll have writing on it, too."

"Alright." He nodded, moving close to her and kissing her forehead. "Be careful. Never know what kind of Dark objects you'll find in this place."

"Hopefully, just a horcrux." She said with a small smile, before turning and heading down a path with piles of broken furniture on one side and shelves of broken and chipped bottles, some with potions still inside them.

Hermione scoured the piles, picking up anything that was silvery, or reflected light back. She picked through the stacks of books, crates of old Quidditch gear, and bottles. There were several old mirrors, beginning to blacken with age, that startled her when she saw her wand light reflected in them. It took Hermione nearly an hour of scouring the shelves and crates of the little alley before she came to a fork in the path. She looked up the right path, but saw only more broken bottles and mysterious potions, and then a wall covered in paintings that were in various states of disrepair. She shook her head, looking up the left path, which was littered with shelves, old trunks, and a pile of goblets six feet high. She nodded to herself and set off on that path, opening and examining every trunk and leaving no shelf untouched.

Another two hours slipped away as Hermione's search continued, and she came to another split in the path. Ahead of her was a mound of brooms, old Quidditch robes, and discarded Quaffles and Bludgers, the latter of which were still twitching feebly. To her right, she was met with the same wall of tattered paintings, but to her left, she saw a towering pile of cauldrons looming over the room, and several old chests. She turned left, examining the piles of Quidditch supplies as she went.

Hermione was sitting on the floor, going through what felt like the hundredth chest, when she heard footsteps and looked up to see Sirius walking toward her, looking tired.

"Hey, you." She said, getting to her feet. "Any luck?"

"None. Hermione, it's been four and a half hours. Can't we come back in the morning? Dumbledore said we're more than welcome to spend the night, the house elves would even cook for us." He said, scrubbing a hand down his face.

"I want to get through this section." Hermione said, nodding to the mountain of books and cauldrons in front of her. Sirius sighed, but nodded and moved to help her in her search. They searched all the shelves, cauldrons, and trunks they could, finally moving to a blistered old cupboard and opening it up. As Sirius searched the cupboard, something caught Hermione's eye. A few feet away sat a stack of crates, covered by a black cloak. Hermione thought it was odd, but what intrigued her was the bulge in the fabric. Part of the cloak had been draped around something. Hermione frowned, moving over to the cloak and carefully pulling it away from the object underneath. She gasped, causing Sirius to look over at her.

"Is that it?" He asked, coming up behind her. Hermione reached her hand out toward the diadem, picking up the ancient tiara gently. She examined the tarnished silver, running over the words etched below the sapphire.

"'Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure.'" Hermione read. "Yes, this is it." She said, looking up at Sirius.

"We found it." He said with a sigh. "Now we can tell the others."

"It'll be best if they wait until tomorrow. That way everyone is rested and ready to fight." Hermione said.

"I don't know about you, Hermione," Sirius said, "But there's no way I'll be able to sleep tonight knowing we're going to war tomorrow."

She looked him over and nodded.

"Still. I'd rather be able to rest while we can. It'll give us time to gather people, as well. Now come on, let's go send the patronus and eat." she told him. She took his hand and they walked together, retracing Hermione's path.

"You know," Sirius said, "How did he think this was a good hiding spot? Thousands of people must have used this place over the years for there to be this much junk here. I thought he was supposed to be one of the smartest wizards of our time, and then he goes and does something this idiotic?"

"I think his ego played a big part in it." Hermione said.

"Ah, ego." Sirius sighed. "It'll get you killed faster than bravery."

"You speak from experience." She smiled at him.

"I do," He grimaced.

"You've grown up a lot, you know?" Hermione said, looking down. "I barely recognize you as the boy you used to be."

"That so?" He said, raising an eyebrow. "Well, you know, we could always find a nice broom closet before dinner. For old time's sake." He grinned. She blushed, but bit her bottom lip. It'd been awhile since they'd had time for any sort of romance, and Hermione couldn't help it that she melted every time he used that particular grin.

"I may take you up on that offer," Hermione said. "But after dinner. I'm starving." Sirius chuckled.

"At least you've got your priorities in order. I knew there was a reason I married you." He said.

She rolled her eyes, leading them out of the Room of Hidden Things, and paused for a moment to send a patronus to Dumbledore and Lily. She took a deep breath, then started towards the kitchens in search of food.

* * *

 _August 6, 1981 Godric's Hollow, England - Potter House_

Lily stood in the sitting room of her empty house. James was upstairs, asleep still. The house had been abuzz with Order members and Aurors preparing for today's ambush, but now, it was quiet. Everything was still. The calm before the storm.

It was odd for Lily to not have Harry to occupy her time. These days, taking care of him was all that was keeping her sane. She trusted Remus to keep her son safe, but she wished she were able to protect him herself. She shivered a bit in the chill of the morning, rubbing her arms as she looked around the sitting, almost in a daze.

In just a few short hours, the fighting would begin. What would become of the house? Would it still be standing after all was said and done? Would she be? Lily put that thought out of her mind as she moved to the kitchen to start some tea and breakfast. Hermione and Sirius would be over before ten that morning, they'd said as much in Hermione's message the night before. She had to do something, or the worry and fear for her friends' lives would become unbearable.

Severus would be double crossing Voldemort openly for the first time today, and she'd told him several times how proud she was of him for finally coming to the light. She had missed her friend more than she could express in words. Regulus was also due to openly betray the Death Eaters, and while Lily knew that it was a crucial part of the plan, she wished Regulus didn't have to be the one to do it. For one so young, he'd already been so involved in the war. Her heart hurt for him.

Lily sighed heavily as she took a sip of her tea, leaning against the counter. Was she ready for this to end? Yes. But part of her wished that there was a way she could fast-forward her life so she wouldn't have to go through this day.


	43. Through the Darkness to the Dawn

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 6, 1981 Falmouth, England - Nott Residence_

Regulus and Severus stood before the Dark Lord, their eyes on the ground. They knew they'd have to deliver the information of Lily and James's whereabouts together in order to achieve their ends.

"From what you've told me, Severus, it seems your infiltration mission was successful?" Voldemort asked, seated in his armchair in front of the men.

"Yes, my Lord. They willingly invited us into their home, told us their secret, and now that Peter is dead, Regulus and I are secret keepers for the Potters, as well."

"Yes, I can see the location in your mind, Severus. They were in Godric's Hollow after all! You've served me well, the both of you. Regulus, any word from your brother and his wife?" the Dark Lord asked.

"No, sir, last I heard, they'd left Rye, no signs of where they might have gone. I think the death of Peter scared Sirius and he fled."

"Ah, well, I'm sure their foolish bravery will force them into action when I kill their little friend. If Black doesn't come to me, I'm certain his wife will. She's always had a desire to save her friends, hasn't she?" He said, coldly. He stood, looking the two men over. "Severus, you are to send word to Bellatrix and Rodolphus, you three are to take Rabastan and Crouch and head to London. Longbottom's mother lives there. I believe Rabastan knows the place. I believe if you find her, you'll find the child. Then, I believe the parents will come to us."

"Yes, my Lord." Severus said.

"And Regulus. Take Mulciber and Wilkes and search the Black's cottage in Rye. Find out where they've gone." He said.

"My Lord, I won't be able to take them to the cottage until Lily is dead. She's the secret keeper."

"Ah, that little problem will be remedied soon enough." Voldemort said. "Now off you go, both of you. I need time to prepare for my own mission."

"Yes, my Lord," They both murmured, ducking their heads and making their way out of the room. They passed a guard standing watch outside. Rosier. Regulus made a mental note of that as he and Severus left the house. It wasn't until they were out of sight of the house that they dared talk.

"I told you Occlumency would come in handy." Snape muttered. Regulus grinned when he saw Severus's lips twitch up.

"I've gotta say, Snape, you make a fine double agent. Triple agent? Whatever." Regulus said as they approached the apparition point.

"You know my plan." Severus told Regulus. "But how are you going to get back into the Nott house?"

"I've got an idea." Regulus said, scrunching up his face. "But it's not gonna be fun."

"Well good luck." Severus said with a nod.

"You, too. We're gonna need it."

* * *

 _Wimbourne, England - Lestrange House_

Severus strode up the drive of the large house, trying to calm his nerves. His face was a stone mask, though his hands trembled slightly. There was no denying he was nervous. One wrong move, and he could end up dead. He took a breath and knocked on the door. _Try not to die,_ he told himself. Bellatrix herself opened the door; she must have seen him coming.

"Severus, how lovely. I assume this isn't a social call, though? You never come round unannounced." Bellatrix said, letting him into the foyer.

"Afraid not, Bella. Are Rodolphus and Rabastan around? This involves them, as well." He asked. She nodded.

"In the lounge, as usual. Is it urgent?" She asked.

"Quite." he said. _Try not to die._

She lead him to the lounge, where the two men sat, one smoking a pipe. Severus sneered at the pipe, but nodded at the two men.

"Severus! We've got news from the Dark Lord, then?" Rodolphus asked, looking up at the two of them.

"Indeed. An urgent mission. You've got orders to track down Augusta Longbottom. Lord Voldemort is under the assumption that you know where she lives, Rabastan?" he asked.

"Yeah, been staking it out for a month or so. You coming with us on this one?" he asked, getting to his feet.

"No, you're to take Crouch. I've got other orders." he said, before turning on his heel and making to leave the room.

"Oi, Snape, where're you headed?" Rabastan asked.

"If you must know, I've got to use the toilet. Would you like to follow me to ensure everything comes out alright?" He threw over his shoulder.

"Er, you go right ahead, mate. We'll head out when you get back." he said, avoiding eye contact.

"Right." Snape said, stiffly, continuing out into the hall. _That actually worked? He's more stupid than he looks._

He headed upstairs. Luckily for him, the bathroom was right next to the room Bellatrix had devoted to storing all her Dark artifacts, and, in fact, the Cup, as well. Severus slipped into the room quietly, scanning the room and making a beeline for it. He stopped short, finding it suspicious that Bellatrix would leave such a valuable artifact in the middle of a room with little more than a glass display case to protect it from theft. He caught a glimmer in the air around the case, and his question was answered. He drew his wand and leveled it at the case.

" _Aparecium._ " he said, and a silvery barrier revealed itself around the case, an anti-theft enchantment. _Why am I doing this? This is ridiculous. I'm an idiot._ " _Finite Incantatem_." He winced waiting for Bellatrix or one of the Lestrange brothers to burst through the door, but that didn't happen. He sighed in relief. He opened the case carefully, pulling out the Cup and setting it on top of the case.

" _Gemino._ " He said, watching the Cup split into two. He picked up the copy and placed it back into the case, before shrinking the real Cup and placing it in an inside pocket in his robes. He stepped back, waving his wand and resecuring the antitheft charm he'd taken down moments ago. He took a deep breath and quickly exiting the room. He had only walked a few paces before he came face to face with Rodolphus, though. He panicked, but didn't let it show. _Fuck. I'm an idiot._

"Thought your were going to the toilet, Snape? Well, there's the toilet-" He nodded to the door just behind Severus, "And here's you. And I didn't hear no water running, neither."

"That's because I used the one down the hall." Severus lied smoothly. "This one is far too cramped." Rodolphus narrowed his eyes, but shrugged.

"S'pose you're right, it is a bit cramped." he said. "Well, we're ready to head out and lock up, if you're quite done."

"Certainly." He said, trying his damnedest to not let out a sigh of relief. _Apparently, they're even bigger idiots than I am, I might actually get away with this._ He followed the man down the stairs, where Bellatrix and Rabastan were standing in the foyer.

"Everything come out okay, Severus? You were up there a rather long time." Bellatrix asked.

"Food poisoning. Ate some undercooked fish at the Hog's Head the other night. Should've known better." Severus said, shaking his head.

"Well, I do hope it doesn't affect your mission." Bellatrix said, pointedly.

"My dear, nothing could keep me from my mission. I assure you, a little food poisoning couldn't keep me from this task." he said sincerely.

"Good man." Rabastan said, clapping him on the back. "Let's get a move on, then, shall we?"

"Indeed." he said, following the trio out. He didn't dare celebrate until he'd apparated away. The Order was gathered at the home of Frank and Alice Longbottom. He was to return there and wait for the signal from James and Lily. He only hoped Regulus was having half the luck he'd had.

* * *

 _Rye, England - Fletchers House Tea Rooms_

Regulus had had no choice but to bring Mulciber and Wilkes to Rye and wait for the charm to be broken. At least, that's what he told them. He was really just biding his time, trying to find the time to sneak off and get a patronus out to the Potters. They sat in a corner in a quiet restaurant, biding their time.

He tapped his fingers on the table, ignoring his tea. He looked out the window at the little town, realizing why Hermione and Sirius had picked it. It was an old town, but gorgeous, full of winding, cobbled streets and quaint, brick-faced shops.

Regulus fought a smile. His brother and sister-in-law loved history and learning. He was certain the town held a place in his heart for that reason alone, not to mention its proximity to the sea. When they were kids, Sirius had asked their parents several times to go on holiday at the beach, but Walburga had never relented. Regulus sighed, putting the thought of his mother out of his mind.

He looked around the little tea room. It was early afternoon on a thursday. The place wasn't overly crowded, but there were enough people that Regulus could slip away if he needed to. He straightened up, deciding it was time to enact his plan.

"I'm going to check the house. Stay here, I'll come after you when the spell's broken." Regulus said.

"Why don't we just follow you?" Wilkes asked, starting to get to his feet.

"Because you wouldn't be able to see me after a certain point." Regulus sighed. "The charm is still in place. Until Lily is dead, you won't be able to get close."

"How will _you_ know when she dies?" Mulciber asked.

"Believe me," He said, looking him dead in the eye. "I'll know."

He left the little restaurant, easily walking the three blocks to his brother's cottage. They'd left the door unlocked for him. He walked in and sat in the old chair that Sirius loved. He ran a hand over his face.

This plan was insane, but it was all he had. He pulled out his wand.

" _Expecto Patronum._ "

* * *

 _Godric's Hollow - Potter House_

Lily had just finished washing the lunch dishes when the silver crow flew into the kitchen. She looked up at James, who was drying the last of the plates. They both turned to the patronus as it opened its mouth.

"No time to explain, send me word when he gets to you. Separate patronus from the Order, I won't be with them. I'll be there as soon as I can. Stay safe." Regulus's voice said, sounding tired, but determined.

"I hope he's alright." Lily said.

"I'm sure he's fine, sounds like he's got a plan." James said, squeezing her shoulders.

"You're probably right. Reg knows what he's doing." She said, wiping off the counter. She jumped when a loud whistle ripped through the kitchen. Lily looked over to the table, where the Sneakoscope they'd sat there was spinning, flashing and whistling wildly.

"Looks like it's time." James said, glancing to Lily before they sprang into action.

* * *

A dark figure appeared in front of the Potter house, dressed in black robes. He held a wand in his hand as he stalked up the front walk. Lord Voldemort smiled at the neat little house. He'd been all over this town, but he'd never seen this house before. He knew that meant it was the right one. He allowed himself the satisfaction of a smirk as he climbed the stairs to the front door. He could hear a radio on inside. They were home, then. He twisted the knob, surprised that the door was unlocked. But then, why would they bother locking the door if their house was invisible to all but a select few? Or if those locks were useless, anyway. He pushed the door open, a smile on his face.

He was finally going to put an end to this silly prophecy. He'd finally have his way and nothing would stand between him and his plans to take over the Ministry and begin his new world order. The wizarding world, as it was always meant to be, would be born from the murders he was about to commit. It would rise like a phoenix from the flame.

He stepped into the house, ready to end their little game of cat and mouse, and move on to bigger obstacles. Surely, these two Order members and their child would be sitting ducks, complacent in their little bubble of safety. After all, they couldn't even be bothered to lock their door.

Voldemort heard a whistling noise. He followed it to the kitchen, where he saw the Sneakoscope spinning wildly on the table, flashing a warning to an empty kitchen. He swore under his breath. Had they fled? Surely they couldn't have gotten too far? He caught something moving in the corner of his eye and looked up at the back door which had been left ajar. There was movement outside. He walked quietly to the back door, venturing out into the yard, seeing nothing but a few trees, a small garden, and a wheat field that backed into a wooded area. Just as he was about to turn back to the house, he saw a ripple in the air, and suddenly a man and a woman appeared at the edge of the field, wands drawn.

"I see you've decided not to hide from death." Voldemort said, quietly. "How _brave_. And utterly stupid."

"Oh, we're not here to greet death." James said, off handedly. "We're here to end this war, once and for all."

"And how are you going to do that, Potter?" He spat.

"Well, you see," Lily said, looking back at the wheat field and waving. "We've brought some friends."


	44. Firestorm

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _August 6, 1981 Falmouth, England - Nott Residence_

Regulus hadn't expected the silver doe to come so soon after he'd sent his patronus, but he was relieved when it did. It meant he didn't have time to talk himself out of his plan. He took a deep breath as he strode up the drive. He knew this was stupid, but he also knew there was no other way. He wore his Death Eater robes, his wand in its holster on his thigh for easy access. His fingers twitched over it as he knocked on the door. To his surprise, Nott answered it instead of the house elf. He looked confused when he saw him there.

"Black, I thought the Dark Lord gave you a mission?" he asked, letting the man into the house.

"He did, I just left something in his office. Do you mind if I just grab that real quick?" Regulus said, his hand wrapping around his wand handle.

"The Dark Lord doesn't allow anyone in his office while he's not here, Regulus. You know that." Nott admonished.

" _Imperio._ " Regulus murmured, before slipping his wand back into its holster. "As I was saying, Nott, I left something in the Dark Lord's office. I'd like to go get it now."

"Certainly. Rosier's guarding the door, let's just go talk to him, shall we?" he said, with a smile. Regulus suppressed a shudder; he'd never seen this man smile in his life.

"After you." he said, following the older wizard up the stairs. Regulus kept a hand on his wand, at the ready. He hadn't worked with Rosier much, so he didn't know if he'd catch Nott's behaviour.

"Ah, Rosier. Young Regulus here has left something in the room you're guarding." Nott said, almost cheerily. Rosier had been leaning against the wall, hands in his pockets, but that approach must have set off red flags. It was enough to make him stand up straight, wand in hand.

"Nott, you know the Dark Lord gave me orders, no one goes in there without him. Not even you." He said, his eyes narrowing. Regulus pulled his wand from the holster.

"He'll just be a second. He's one of us, and I'll be with him, of course." Nott said.

"Sorry, I can't do that." Rosier said.

"Then I'm sorry for this." Regulus said, pulling his wand and muttering the Killing Curse. A flash of green light filled the hall and Rosier fell forward.

"That was a bit excessive." Nott said.

"I've been told I tend to have a flair for the dramatic, sue me." Regulus told the man, stepping over the body and into the room.

Voldemort had chosen this room for his office because of the sheer amount of Dark objects that Nott had kept here. It looked like a museum; the room was large, probably once meant to be a den or sitting room. Two of the walls were devoted to bookshelves. On the third wall hung a large mirror, but Regulus recognized it at a foe-glass. The dark shapes moving in it were ominously close and he turned his attention, instead to an ornate, jewel encrusted dagger mounted on the wall which looked to be hundreds of years old. Below it, there was a glass display case filled with jewelry that looked very expensive, if out of fashion. There was a shelf beside the case, holding all sorts of odds and ends. He paused when he saw a shelf that was devoted to time turners of all different sizes and shapes. But the one that caught his eye was different. It was broken. The jagged edges had blood smeared on them and most of the sand had escaped the glass.

This was why Voldemort was set on finding Hermione. Regulus knew Nott had been working with Rookwood, theorizing about time and how they could potentially use the research to alter the timeline. Regulus had a bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. They were messing with time, trying to intentionally change it in the same way that Hermione had accidently changed it. He knew that the orders about her currently were to capture her alive, so that must mean they still had a ways to go on their research, but his stomach did flips as he realized that she was in just as much danger, or perhaps, even more, than Lily and James were. He suddenly had the urge to get to Godric's Hollow as quickly as he possibly could. But he paused once more.

This had to be the time turner that had sent her back. Regulus fought the urge to grab it and take it with him. It wouldn't do them any good at the moment, and may make things worse. No, right now, the safest place for it was where he knew it was guarded well, and where he knew he could find it again.

Regulus turned to the desk at the end of the room, in front of one of the large, six-paned windows stood an old, dark desk. The top of the desk was spotless; Voldemort wasn't the type to leave things littered about. Everything was put away before he left the place. Regulus moved to the other side of the desk, his heart beating rapidly. He pulled open the drawer he'd seen the diary in previously, and his heart sunk. It wasn't there. Where was it then?

He looked around the room; there was no way he'd have time to go through all the books on the shelves. It just wasn't possible. Then he remembered something Hermione had told him about her vision.

"The drawer has a false bottom." He said, looking back down at the drawer. Sure enough, with a little pressure at the back of the drawer, the wooden plank lifted up, revealing a plain black diary. Regulus reached into the drawer to pull it out, but dropped it as soon as he picked it up, a burning sensation on his hand. It fell on the floor a few feet away as he cradled his burned hand. He fumbled for his wand with left hand. It felt weird to hold his wand with his non-dominant hand, but he put the thought out of his head.

" _Episkey_." He murmured. One of the basic healing spells he'd picked up from Hermione. The spell eased the pain and lessened the swelling, though he'd still need some medical attention later. He switched his wand back to right hand and used it to cut a wide strip of fabric from the bottom of his robes. He used the fabric to pick up the book, carefully, this time, just in case it was still able to burn him. When it didn't, he breathed a sigh of relief and , after ensuring it was securely wrapped in the fabric, placed it into the inside pocket in his robes. He started back towards the door when he felt a prickle of magic in the air. He looked about the room, noticing some of the objects were starting to shiver where they sat. A book flew off the shelf, Regulus just barely ducking past it. Two more followed the first, and soon, books were flying towards Regulus from all over the room. One hit the window with such force, it broke it, flying out into the yard. Regulus backed up, trying to duck out of the way of the flying books. There was no way he'd be able to get to the door in this barrage of literature, and he paled when he heard the sound of steel being drawn from a sheath. The ornate dagger he'd been admiring earlier had pulled itself free of its mounting and was now flying at him, shining ominously.

" _Protego!_ " He shouted, and the shield charm kept the enchanted objects at bay for a time, thought he knew it wouldn't last long. They were beating it down even as he tried to think. He had to get out of there. He couldn't make it to the door, but the window…

" _Confringo_!" he shouted, turning and pointing his wand at the broken window, clearing a nice, Regulus-sized hole in the window. He rushed to the sill, looking down to the ground three stories below.

"Alright, Reg, how do we get out of this without dying? Cushioning Charm? That sounds like the best bet I've got." He said, looking back over his shoulder as the dagger and books started to crack his shield charm.

"Okay. This is easy." Reg said, "Just a quick drop, to a soft landing. You dove further in Quidditch. Okay. Let's go!" He said, pitching himself from the window as a book broke through the shield charm.

" _Molliare!_ " He shouted, pointing his wand at the ground, " _Arresto Momentum!_ " He turned the wand on himself, slowing his descent so that he landed on the Cushioning Charm softly. He scrambled to his feet as the books and dagger followed him out of the window. He made a made dash for the apparition point, throwing curses over his shoulder as he went before disappearing in a pop at the property line.

* * *

 _Godric's Hollow - The Field_

Hermione stood in the wheat field behind the Potter house, a nervous energy radiating through her. Her fingers traced the outline of the diadem that was hidden in her robes. Dumbledore had given Sirius the Ring to hold. Lily wore the Locket tucked under her shirt. Severus, she knew, still held the Cup. And Regulus- they hadn't heard from Regulus, and that made her nervous. They had to have the Diary for this mission to be a success.

She felt Sirius's hand on her shoulder, heard the soft pops of other Order members and aurors appearing a short distance away, but she knew they wouldn't be joining them at first. Her heart beat fast as she saw James and Lily drop the invisibility cloak.

She glanced up at Sirius. He nodded, their eyes locking for a moment before they both turned back to listen to James and Lily.

"Well you see, we brought some friends." Lily said. That was their cue. Hermione and Sirius walked out of the field first, joining their friends, wands drawn. Frank and Alice were next, forming a line of the six most wanted witches and wizards.

"You've concentrated every person I need to kill in one area. How considerate?" Voldemort smiled cruelly.

"You won't be killing any of us today." Sirius spat.

"And who's going to stop me? Six mediocre witches and wizards? One of whom is a Mudblood? I think not. _Avada Kedavra!_ " He threw the curse at Lily, she dove out of the way, colliding into Hermione on the way.

"So you've got reflexes. Good. this should make for an interesting fight." Voldemort said, taking a step forward.

" _Expelliarmus!_ Fall back, to the clearing!" Frank ordered, and the six of them cast shield charms before backing into the wheat field. Hermione knew they were just leading Voldemort away from the little town, to prevent property damage and innocent deaths, alike. They got to the clearing and turned, spreading out along one side of it. Voldemort appeared at the edge of the field, seemingly unhappy to have to chase his prey.

"So I ask you again: what are six mediocre wizards going to do against the greatest wizard of our time?" He asked.

"I believe that title belongs to Albus Dumbledore." James said.

"Oh and where is your precious Dumbledore now? He's sent his pawns to die for him in battle, what a surprise. He always was an advocate for the Greater Good, as long as it didn't mean risking _his_ life."

"That's where you're wrong, Tom." Dumbledore said, strolling out of the field behind Voldemort. "You see, I came to understand that there are things in life much worse than death, an idea that you have never been able to wrap your head around."

"Nothing is worse than death, Dumbledore. You've gone mad in your old age." Voldemort snarled.

"You're wrong, Tom. We all know there are other ways of destroying a man. One way in particular it seems you've committed no less than five times." He said, as calmly as though he were commenting upon the weather. Voldemort sent a flash of green light at Dumbledore who deflected it a nonverbal Stunning Spell, the two jets of light fizzling out in a barrage of multicolored sparks. "Perhaps the rest of our friends should show themselves? Perhaps then you will realize how badly you are actually outnumbered here, Tom?" At his words, the rest of the Order and Aurors poured out of the field, surrounding Voldemort.

"Indeed, it seems we are left waiting for one more," Dumbledore said, looking around. "So why don't you tell me, while we wait, Tom. What drove you to split your soul five times over? Were you really that afraid of death that you'd condemn yourself to a fate worse than death in an effort to become immortal?"

"I am afraid of nothing." Voldemort said. "Not you, nor your little army." He said, pulling up the sleeve of his robe and pushing the tip of his wand into his dark mark. "You see, I have an army of my own."

Moments later, Death Eaters began to appear next to Voldemort, popping up left and right.

"If it's a battle you want, Tom," Dumbledore said, "It's a battle you'll get."

Hermione raised her wand, and the curses began to fly.

* * *

Regulus apparated in the field, as he was instructed, but he was dazed and disoriented when he heard shouting and saw that, just a few feet away, fighting had broken out. He wasn't too late, though. He made his way to the clearing, pulling his wand and ensuring the Diary was still in his pocket.

He stuck to the edges of the field, trying to find Severus. He didn't know if he'd gotten the cup, yet. He spotted Hermione and Sirius, battling Bellatrix Lestrange, and for a moment he felt a little sick. Bellatrix was his cousin, he'd grown up with her. And here, she was battling his brother and sister-in-law. Throwing Killing Curses at them. The battle seemed to slow down. He noticed every detail; Lucius Malfoy was battling James, while Lily took on Mulciber.

His chest tightened. Mulciber was known for his brutality. He'd knocked Sirius around like it was child's play last year. He watched Lily battle him, ducking and dodging spells and throwing her own hexes a couple times. He watched as Mulciber got more and more angry, his attacks becoming more violent, and suddenly, the Killing Curse on his lips, his eyes went wide, and he fell forward. Severus stood behind him, his eyes meeting Lily's for a split second before they both turned away, moving on to the next battles. Regulus smiled; it was great to see Severus protecting Lily openly.

His eyes scanned the crowd again, this time looking for Dumbledore. He knew all the horcruxes were here, he just needed to be sure Dumbledore was in place to enact his plan. He spotted him duelling Voldemort himself, the two wizards in the center of the fray. Regulus breathed a tense sigh of relief. The plan was going great, thus far. Just a bit more to go.

He ducked out into the battle, thankful that both sides believed him to be with them. He weaved through the fighters, through the bodies on the ground, as he made his way to the center. The others, Hermione, Sirius, Severus, and Lily, caught sight of him as he went. He saw them fighting their way towards the main part of the battle. Regulus caught Dumbledore's eye and nodded to him drawing his wand as the others finally closed in, watching the fight between the leaders carefully.

"Ah, young Regulus Black, you've finally joined us. I daresay you had an adventure getting here?" Dumbledore asked calmly, blocking spells and throwing a hex in Voldemort's direction before the Dark wizard stopped to look at the new arrival.

"Quite," Regulus said. "I was attacked by about a hundred books and a rather fancy dagger, burned by _another_ book, then had to jump out of a three story building. I don't think I'll look at a library the same way ever again." he said, scrunching up his face. "But I got it."

"Nicely done." Dumbledore said, returning his attention to Voldemort. "You see, Tom, Regulus here is responsible for finding two of your horcruxes. As you said earlier, I am quite the proponent of the Greater Good. It wasn't until I grew up a little, though, that I realized that in order to achieve a Greater Good, you must have help. These people, these _mediocre_ witches and wizards, have been defying you for longer than you even realize. Come, now, Tom, I believe it is time for us to end this." Dumbledore said, drawing himself up to his full height. He wordlessly conjured a thick rope of flames, which transformed itself into fiery phoenix.

"Fiendfyre," Regulus said in awe, holstering his wand as he fumbled for the diary in his inside pocket. He pulled it out and a flash of green light zoomed toward him, only to be countered by a flash of red from behind him. Frank Longbottom had his back, and Reg threw the Diary into the air, where it was caught in the mouth of the flaming bird, before it dissolved to ash. Voldemort stumbled back a bit, the heat and the loss of his horcrux putting him off his guard for a second. Regulus pulled his wand again and sent a Stunner at Voldemort, trying to distract him while the others threw the horcruxes they held into the Fiendfyre's maw. Sirius caught on and helped his brother out, distracting Voldemort with a flurry of spells as Lily, James, Frank, Alice, and Hermione joined in. Severus reached into his robes and withdrew a small golden cup, launching it into the air where the phoenix swooped it up, destroying it as well.

He joined the fray, Voldemort barely aware that one of his supposedly most loyal followers had just destroyed his horcrux. Regulus shot another curse at Voldemort, watching Hermione pull out the diadem. She launched it into the air, like a frisbee, but was forced to dive sideways to avoid a curse. The phoenix caught the diadem in it's claws, breaking into small chunks as it was destroyed.

Sirius pulled out the Ring, waiting for the phoenix to swoop by again. The flaming bird was soaring above the clearing in a wide, figure-eight pattern, bathing those below in a golden light and a wave of heat. Dumbledore was controlling the bird's path, directing it with his wand. He even used his other hand as a means of keeping the bird under control. The rest of those gathered around the Dark Lord were throwing curses, keeping Voldemort off of him while he worked.

Sirius tossed the ring into the air as the phoenix swept by, the metal charring before starting to crumble. He dodged a jet of light and Lily pulled the Locket from around her neck.

" _YOU_? Lily Potter, a _Muggleborn,_ wearing the locket of the great Salazar Slytherin? My _ancestor_. A locket which holds a piece of my _soul._ How dare you?" Voldemort shrieked indignantly.

"Oh, I dare to do more than just wear it, _Voldemort_. I dare to destroy it!" She said, but suddenly, she screamed out in pain, victim of a Cruciatus Curse from behind. James and Hermione whipped around, leaving the two Blacks and the Longbottoms to distract Voldemort. Bellatrix Lestrange had been responsible for the curse, and Hermione and James fought her off as Severus went to the aide of Lily.

"Take the Locket, I'll be fine." She said, panting. "Destroy the last horcrux."

Regulus watched as he did as she asked, taking the locket from her.

"How fitting. The man who betrayed his best friend now turns to bite the hand which fed him. Once a traitor, always a traitor, they say. And you had such _potential_."

" _Shut. Up_." Severus said coldly. "I used to think Muggles were all horrible because of the way my father treated me growing up. How could anyone treat their child like that? But now that I'm grown, I've come to see that it doesn't matter whether or not you have magic, some humans are just evil. And I decided I would never be like that." He said, holding the locket up. "I decided to fight for the light."

He threw the locked into air, the phoenix making one last pass over his head. It caught the piece of jewelry in it's beak, before coming round and hovering above Dumbledore, flapping it's wings to remain upright.

"Now then," Dumbledore shouted over the roar of the flames and the flapping of wings. "I believe we've reached an impasse. How would you like to proceed?"

" _Avada-_ " Before the second word would leave his mouth, the phoenix swooped down onto the man, producing a horrible stench. Regulus had to look away as he heard the man let out an almost inhuman scream. When the screams stopped, the flames dissipated, the phoenix shrinking away and snuffing itself out in a poof of smoke.

A profound silence that hung over the clearing like a fog. No one could believe it was really over. Regulus stared at the pile of ash that had once been the most powerful Dark Wizard of their time, and he felt at peace. It was over.

He heard a distant pop, that pulled him out of his head, then another. All around the clearing, Death Eaters were fleeing. Some of the aurors had cornered some and taken their wands already, and still others surrendered themselves willingly. Regulus didn't care. He search the field, eyes landing on his brother, across the way, and he took off at a sprint, grabbing him up in a hug.

They did it. They were alive. He and his brother were alive and well, he had a sister-in-law that was safe, and all of their friends had made it through to the end of the war untouched.

Almost. His mind flew back to Peter. It had only been a day, not even a full twenty-four hours, since his funeral. A funeral that had made so much of their plan possible. Peter had truly died a hero.

"Reg," Sirius said, hugging his brother back fiercely. When had he started crying? "It's over. We can be a family again."

"Finally." Regulus said, pulling back from his brother and looking at all the faces of those gathered around them. He hadn't expected to make it. He hadn't expected anyone to make it. The euphoria he felt was unparallelled as he looked from face to face.

It was done.


	45. After the Storm

_Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. I don't make money from this fic._

* * *

 _September 13, 1981 Rye, England - Black Cottage_

Regulus sat at the dinner table, stuffing his face and laughing at Sirius's horrible jokes. It'd been a little over a month since the fall of the Dark Lord, and while life hadn't exactly gotten back to normal yet, Sirius held to his promise that they were going to be a real family again. They'd had family dinners every Sunday for over a month, and Regulus was just happy to have his brother back.

The aftermath of the battle had been a rough experience. He'd been helping Sirius and the rest of the Order round up the Death Eaters that remained on the loose, with the help of Severus. Moody had even offered him a job as an Auror, which he accepted. He was surprised at how easily he'd been accepted, but then he supposed Dumbledore had had a hand in that. He _had_ been feeding the Order information for close to five years.

The battleground cleanup had done a number on him, though. People he went to school with, had been friends with for years, had died or been gravely wounded. He wasn't sure he'd ever be the same after that. Hermione, and the other Healers called to the scene, had done all they could to save as many lives as possible. But there were many they could do nothing for.

Regulus was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of Harry giggling. Lily, James, and Remus were always round for Sunday dinners, of course; Harry had his own high chair at the cottage and everything. Regulus looked up and saw Sirius feeding him a bit of mushed up carrot while making flying noises. He smiled at the sight.

"You know, you're gonna be a great dad someday." Regulus said, meeting Sirius's eye. He grinned ear to ear.

"Actually, about that-" He said, leaning over to take Hermione's hand. "We have some news."

"I'm pregnant." Hermione said, beaming at Regulus, then Lily, James, and Remus in turn,

"About damn time." James said, his grin matching Sirius's.

"I'm going to be an uncle?" Regulus asked, a slow smile creeping across his face.

"The best damn uncle this family's ever seen." Sirius said with a grin.

"I think I'd make a pretty good uncle, you know." James said, pouting.

"Of course you will. And I already know how Uncle Moony is." Sirius said, with a grin. The two men beamed back at him. Regulus knew they'd been like brothers since first year. He was just glad he was finally included in that again.

"Have you given the name any thought?" Regulus asked. "Are you going to stick with tradition, or-?"

"We've talked about it." Hermione said. "Back when no one knew I wasn't from this time, I made up a story about my would-be parents. That they'd named be Hermione after the Shakespearean character, because both of their names were also Shakespearean characters and they wanted to start their own tradition. Well, I think it's about time we begin our own tradition. We both love Shakespeare, so we think it's fitting." She said.

"I love that idea." Regulus said. "I agree. It's time to bring the House of Black into the modern age." He said.

"Are you worried about backlash from Mum?" Sirius asked.

"She's going to be pissed, but fuck her." Regulus said. "I'm still upset with her for ruining your wedding, and blasting you off the tapestry in the first place. I think she's finally gotten it through her thick skull that I'm not the little puppet she raised."

"Good." Hermione said. "I do worry about you sometimes, though. Cooped up in the house with her all the time."

"She'll get over it." He said, with a grin. "Like it or not, both of the Black boys are Aurors now. If that's not something to be proud of, I don't know what is."

"Don't let her in on the baby, yeah? I'd prefer to avoid cursed baby blankets." Sirius asked.

"As counter-intuitive as it seems, I'd tell her about it yourself. You _are_ still her son. Hearing about it second hand is just gonna make things worse." He said.

"You're probably right." Sirius said. "I guess it's time to be a family again, for real." He sighed.

Regulus smiled, sitting back in his chair. Peace was settling over the Black family for the first time in years.

* * *

 _September 1, 1993 London, England - Platform 9 ¾_

Hermione held her son's hand as Sirius pushed their daughter's cart towards the train. Celia Black was a scrawny girl with a mop of curly, jet-black hair and chocolate brown eyes, and it was finally her first year of Hogwarts. Hermione knew Sirius was having a hard time letting his baby leave the nest for the first time, and if she was honest, it was why she was holding on to Regan's hand so tightly; she didn't want to let him go.

"Mum, can we go say bye to Harry? I see Uncle Prongs and Aunt Lily right over there!" Hermione glanced over to where Regan was pointing and smiled as she saw her two friends.

"Go straight to Uncle Prongs, okay, Reggie? I'm going to see your sister off. Merlin knows your father will be in tears by the end of it." Hermione said. He nodded, running off to give his aunt a hug. Hermione waved as Lily nodded, knowing that Hermione was stressing over sending her first child to school.

Hermione made her way over to where Sirius was loading Celia's trunk on the train, giving her daughter a side hug to show her support.

"You'll write, won't you Mum?" Celia asked quietly.

"Of course, love. As often as you want." She said, looking her over.

"How will I write to you? I don't have an owl." She said, petting her cat, Beatrice, who was perched atop the cart as though she owned it.

"I'm sure Harry will let you use Hedwig if you ask him. If she's gone, you can always use one of the school owls." Hermione said.

"What if-" Celia started, but then she turned away.

"What is it, love?" Sirius asked, turning and kneeling down to look into her face, lifting her chin with one hand.

"What if I'm not a Gryffindor? What if I go into some other house, and Harry and I never see each other because of it? What if I'm a Slytherin and Harry hates me!" She said, looking close to tears.

"Sweetheart, calm down." Sirius said with a knowing smile. "Harry isn't going to hate you if you're not a Gryffindor. Want to know how I know?" he asked. She nodded. "Your Uncle Regulus was a Slytherin. In fact, my whole family was, until me. When I got to school, I was Sorted Gryffindor. I was pretty upset about it for the first year or so, especially when Reg came along and Sorted Slytherin. I thought he hated me on principal, that's what I was lead to believe. It wasn't until my sixth year until Reg and I talked again, with your mother's help, and he told me he didn't hate me for being a Gryffindor. He didn't hate me at all, in fact. He missed me."

"Then why didn't you two talk about it?" She asked.

"Because there was a stigma against talking to people from other houses. And I was a 'disgrace to the Noble House of Black' for being who I was." Sirius rolled his eyes. "Celia, I want you to be who you are, no matter what that looks like. I don't care if you're a Hufflepuff, and I'll let you in on a secret, Harry's the same way. He's his father's child through and through. You're family, and nothing can change that."

"Are you sure, Dad?" Celia asked. Sirius looked up at Hermione, who grinned. She looked over her shoulder, finding Harry talking to Lily

"Harry?" She called, and he looked up at her. She waved him over and he hurried over.

"Hey, Aunt 'Mione. There's my favorite trouble maker. I was wondering where you were, Ceels."

"Harry, Celia's worried about school. She's worried that if she's not in Gryffindor, you'll hate her." Sirius said, looking up at the boy who looked so like his father.

"What? Celia, I could never hate you! You're family." He said.

"You mean it?" She asked. Looking up at him.

"I swear it." He said, with a smile. "Come on, you can ride with me and Ron on the way."

"Watch out for her, Harry." Sirius said, standing and clapping Harry on the back as Celia picked up Beatrice, hugging him and Hermione one last time.

"Of course, Uncle Padfoot." Harry grinned, putting a hand on her shoulder. "That's what family's for."

Hermione and Sirius pushed the cart back to where Lily and James stood with Regan, waving to Harry and Celia. Hermione leaned into Sirius for support, fighting off tears. James clapped Sirius on the back.

"She'll be alright, Pads. Harry'll look out for her. He's convinced she'll be Sorted Slytherin, you know." He said, smiling.

"I'm almost positive she will be." Sirius said. "She's just like Regulus. Absolutely brilliant, but she can be the sneakiest thing when she wants to."

"He'll still be there." Lily told him. "He told us as much himself."

"He's the best of you both, you know?" Sirius said, smiling.

"I'd say the same about your two. What do ya say, Reg, how about we head over to Florean Fortescue's for some ice cream once the train leaves?"

"Yeah! Mum, Dad, can we?" He asked, excitedly. Hermione gave James a knowing smile; he'd done the same when Celia had wanted to see Harry off his first year.

"Of course we can." She said. The Hogwarts Express whistle sounded and all five of them shouted and waved at Celia and Harry as it slowly pulled away from the station.

Harry was off on another adventure, but this time, Hermione knew, he'd be safe, wherever he found himself. They all were.

* * *

 ** _A/N: And so ends another story, my most successful to date. Thank you to everyone who stuck around this long, thanks to everyone who supported this story, and a HUGE shout out to ohnobetty, my beta reader, for sticking with me for months with this story. Now that you're done reading this, you should go check out Albus & The Wolf, her story, which is amazing! I love you all, and I hope to see you all again real soon with a new story!_**

 ** _Edit: In response to several reviews, I just wanted to clear something up. Way back when they were still in school, Dumbledore told Hermione that she exists outside of time. What that means is that when the hourglass fell on her head, she stopped existing anywhere in the timeline for a brief moment before she was deposited in 1976. Her parents never had her, she technically doesn't exist. There is only one Hermione in the timeline, and it's altered from '76 forward to include her._**


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